U.S. Stocks Break a Losing Streak --- Tech Shares Help Indexes Rise in Choppy Trading After 3 Sessions of Losses; 'There's No Real Panic'
Stocks gained ground for the first time in four sessions, led by strength in tech stocks, as investors girded for the start of earnings season.</br></br>The Nasdaq Composite Index climbed 33.23 points, or 0.8%, to 4112.99 after falling 4.6% in the past three trading sessions. That was the biggest three-day percentage decline since November 2011.</br></br>The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 10.27 points, or 0.1%, to 16256.14 in choppy trading that reflected uncertainty about corporate profits, the health of the U.S. economy and the impact of the Federal Reserve lessening its stimulus. The Dow, which last closed at a record high on Dec. 31, is down 1.9% in the year to date. The S&P 500 index gained 6.92 points, or 0.4%, to 1851.96. The index is up 0.2% since the start of the year.</br></br>Tesla Motors Inc., one of the stocks caught up in the recent selloff, rallied $7.94, or 3.8%, to $215.46 after the auto maker said it started offering a business-leasing program that is expected to spur sales of its electric vehicles.</br></br>Investors had been selling stocks such as Tesla amid worries that such a quick run-up in share prices -- and valuations -- was happening on shaky fundamentals. In the past month, Tesla shares tumbled 12%, although they are up 43% since the start of the year.