US close: Dow, S&P and Nasdaq gain at least 1.25%

US stock indices made strong gains on Tuesday, all three gaining at least 1.25% for the first time in more than a month as an oil price rally, flatter dollar and various data provided boosts.

The Dow Jones fattened up by 222 points, or 1.26%, to close at 17,928.35; the S&P 500 swelled almost 26 points, or 1.25%, to 2,084.39; while the Nasdaq composite widened nearly 60 points, or 1.26%, to end at 4,809.88.

Oil's rally saw front-month West Texas Intermediate (TWI) crude futures up 2.2% to $44.41 per barrel, with the Brent crude price advance 3.9% to $45.32. Prices were helped by news of supply outages in Canada and Nigeria.

Before markets opened stocks were primed for gains after better than expected inflation data from China.

Closer to home, data showed an improvement in small business optimism and a gauge of the labour market provided macroeconomic vim.

US small business confidence rebounded from a two-year low in April as optimism on the labour market grew, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. The small business optimism index rose 1.0 point to a reading of 93.6 last month, compared to forecasts for 93.1.

Later on, the Federal Reserve’s Job Opening and Labor Turnover survey, a great favourite of Fed Chair Janet Yellen, rose back to near its peak level hit in July 2015.

The JOLT report revealed the number of available positions Stateside rose from an upwardly revised 5.608m for February to 5.757m in March, beating expectations of 5.45m

"Yellen has argued on several occasions that it is a useful measure of the state of the labor market. Right now, it says that conditions are tight,” Pantheon Macroeconomics said.

Moe good news came in the shape of positive US wholesale inventories, which edged slightly higher in March, rising by 0.1% to reach $583.6bn according to the Department of Commerce. In comparison to a year ago, inventories were 0.3% higher.

The monthly percentage variation was in-line with economists’ forecasts.

Help for commodities sectors and other heavily dollar-dependent sectors came as the greenback flattened off after its recent climb.

Company-wise, SolarCity slumped in pre-market trade after reporting a wider quarterly loss as expenses rose, while Hertz Global Holdings declined after reporting a bigger loss for the first three months of the year as car rental revenue fell.

Allergan was up strongly its earnings report, while Norwegian Cruise Lines led the Nasdaq fallers as its figures disappointed.

After the close Walt Disney raised frowns as earnings of $1.36 per share were short of $1.40 estimates - the first time the House of Mouse had missed its numbers in five years.

S&P 500 - Risers
Southwestern Energy Co. (SWN) $12.36 +7.20%
Dun & Bradstreet Corp. (DNB) $119.56 +6.98%
Hess Corp. (HES) $57.71 +5.95%
Leucadia National Corp. (LUK) $17.71 +5.92%
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) $126.24 +5.30%
Allergan plc (AGN) $225.00 +5.28%
Devon Energy Corp. (DVN) $31.54 +4.99%
Wynn Resorts Ltd. (WYNN) $94.03 +4.92%
Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) $4.30 +4.88%
TripAdvisor Inc. (TRIP) $66.10 +4.77%

S&P 500 - Fallers
Gap Inc. (GPS) $19.30 -11.51%
HCP Inc. (HCP) $34.71 -3.56%
Centene Corp. (CNC) $59.16 -2.47%
Kohls Corp. (KSS) $41.18 -2.35%
Welltower Inc (HCN) $73.03 -2.24%
Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) $36.41 -1.99%
Macy's Inc. (M) $36.99 -1.99%
Zoetis Inc (ZTS) $46.56 -1.98%
PVH Corp. (PVH) $89.96 -1.84%
Edison International (EIX) $71.32 -1.75%

Dow Jones I.A - Risers
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $161.42 +2.48%
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $72.51 +2.44%
United Technologies Corp. (UTX) $102.16 +2.07%
General Electric Co. (GE) $30.48 +2.04%
Boeing Co. (BA) $134.72 +1.98%
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $27.03 +1.96%
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $51.02 +1.90%
International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) $149.97 +1.78%
Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) $89.99 +1.60%
E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (DD) $64.99 +1.40%

Dow Jones I.A - Fallers
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) $68.79 -0.23%
Pfizer Inc. (PFE) $33.80 -0.06%

Nasdaq 100 - Risers
TripAdvisor Inc. (TRIP) $66.10 +4.77%
Discovery Communications Inc. Class A (DISCA) $29.31 +4.12%
Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN) $87.37 +4.04%
Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $38.37 +3.81%
Akamai Technologies Inc. (AKAM) $51.97 +3.63%
Amazon.Com Inc. (AMZN) $703.07 +3.43%
Discovery Communications Inc. Class C (DISCK) $28.48 +3.30%
PACCAR Inc. (PCAR) $57.61 +3.17%
Monster Beverage Corp (MNST) $153.10 +2.90%
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $385.87 +2.77%

Nasdaq 100 - Fallers
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. - Ordinary Shares (NCLH) $46.89 -4.79%
Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) $36.41 -1.99%
Baidu Inc. (BIDU) $166.21 -1.94%
Ross Stores Inc. (ROST) $57.56 -1.03%
Dollar Tree Inc (DLTR) $81.69 -0.51%
Cerner Corp. (CERN) $55.24 -0.34%
Skyworks Solutions Inc. (SWKS) $64.86 -0.29%
Dish Network Corp. (DISH) $47.54 -0.27%
Whole Foods Market Inc. (WFM) $30.28 -0.13%
Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA) $208.69 -0.11%