U.S. stocks meandered but finished mostly higher Tuesday as retailers and industrial companies rose, and a jump in metals prices helped mining and materials companies. Asian markets jumped after the North Korean government said it was open to talks with the U.S. about ending its nuclear program.
On Tuesday:
The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 7.18 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,728.12.
The Dow Jones industrial average added 9.36 points to 24,884.12.
The Nasdaq composite advanced 41.30 points, or 0.6 percent, to 7,372.01.