Stocks notch gains; Treasury yields climb

Wall Street capped a wobbly day of trading Tuesday with modest gains, while Treasury yields extended their recent rally.

About 62% of companies in the S&P 500 index rose, with energy-sector stocks notching the biggest gain as crude-oil prices rose. Companies that rely on consumer spending also helped lift the market, outweighing declines in healthcare, communications and technology stocks.

Small-company stocks continued to outpace the rest of the market, a sign that investors are becoming more optimistic about an economic rebound. The Russell 2000 small-cap index climbed to a record high.

The S&P 500 rose 1.58 points (0.1%) to 3,801.19. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 60 (0.2%) to 31,068.69. The Nasdaq composite added 36 (0.3%) to 13,072.43. The three indexes remain close to the all-time highs that each set on Friday. The Russell 2000 index of small-caps gained 36.95 (1.8%) to 2,127.96, a record high.