Market Roundup

Surprisingly strong earnings from Netflix, UnitedHealth Group and other firms put investors in a buying mood Tuesday, driving U.S. stocks solidly higher.

Healthcare stocks led the gainers. Materials, utilities and a broad swath of other companies climbed. Industrials and consumer-focused stocks had the smallest gains. Energy stocks rose with crude oil prices. The rally wiped out the market’s losses from the day before.

“We’ve had five consecutive quarters of negative earnings, and this one looks like we’re going to squeak out a positive, which is very good for the market,” said Doug Cote, chief market strategist for Voya Investment Management.

Third-quarter earnings are projected to be down about 1.1% overall from a year earlier, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. That forecast is largely due to the energy sector, which has been hit hard by falling energy prices.

Investors bid up shares in several healthcare companies, including UnitedHealth Group. The nation’s largest health insurer rose 6.9% to $143.39 after its thirdquarter profit swelled 23% and it raised its 2016 forecast.

Netflix surged 19% to $118.79 the day after it reported earnings that far exceeded expectations, as well as a rise in subscribers.

Domino’s Pizza jumped 4.9% to $159.45 after a 25% leap in quarterly profit.

Del Taco Restaurants climbed 8.8% to $13.74 after it served solid quarterly sales and raised its annual profit and revenue projections.

Banks continued to deliver strong quarterly results. Goldman Sachs shares rose 2.1% to $172.63. Comerica stock climbed 4.1% to $50.05.

IBM slid 2.6% to $150.72 the day after issuing a fullyear earnings outlook that fell short of expectations.

Also on Tuesday, the Labor Department said consumer prices rose in September at the fastest pace since the spring as gasoline costs jumped. The consumer price index, a closely watched barometer of inflation, rose 0.3% last month.

Prices rose 1.5% for the year that ended Sept. 30, the fastest in nearly two years. A year earlier, the annual rate was just below zero.

U.S. benchmark crude oil rose 0.7% on Tuesday to $50.29 a barrel. Brent crude rose 0.3% to $51.68. Wholesale gasoline rose a penny to $1.51 a gallon. Heating oil was little changed at $1.57 a gallon. Natural gas rose 2 cents to $3.26 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold rose $6.30 to $1,262.90 an ounce. Silver rose 16 cents to $17.64 an ounce. Copper was little changed at $2.11 a pound.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.74% from 1.77%.

Times staff writer Jim Puzzanghera in Washington contributed to this report.