Major U.S. stock indexes closed higher on Tuesday, led by gains in consumer discretionary and technology shares. The S&P 500 index rose 0.71% to 4,699.28. The Nasdaq Composite index increased 0.60% to 15,266.33. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.03% to 36,269.80. Consumer discretionary stocks were among the biggest gainers, with Amazon, Home Depot, and Nike all rising more than 1%. Technology stocks also performed well, with Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet all posting gains. The positive sentiment in the market was driven by a number of factors, including strong corporate earnings reports and optimism about the economy. "Investors are seeing that the economy is continuing to recover and that corporate profits are strong," said Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at Bleakley Advisory Group. "This is giving them confidence to buy stocks." ---