U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday, lifting the Dow and S&P 500 to their loftiest levels ever, as a $66 billion deal by Actavis for Allergan helped drive gains in the health care sector and a gauge of sentiment among U.S. home builders increased more than expected.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 44.05 points, or 0.25 percent, to 17,691.8, the S&P 500 gained 10.72 points, or 0.53 percent, to 2,052.04 and the Nasdaq Composite added 31.44 points, or 0.67 percent, to 4,702.44. The S&P 500 ended higher for a fourth straight session and has risen in nine of the past 10 sessions.
