: Dow ekes out gain as stocks finish higher after volatile session

U.S. stocks closed higher on Tuesday but below their best levels of the session after more data suggested inflation may be slowing and mega-retailer Wal-Mart WMT o8ffered a rosier annual forecast. The S&P 500 SPX finished up 34.48 points, or 0.9%, to 3,991.73. And the Nasdaq Composite COMP closed 162.19 points, or 1.5%, higher at 11,358.41. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA rose 56.22 points, or 0.2%, to 33,592.92. Stocks benefited earlier in the session after wholesale prices rose just 0.2% in October, a fourth straight soft reading that suggests inflation is on the wane after hitting a 40-year high earlier in the year.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.