Stocks Start the New Year with a Robust Rally

Stocks rallied on the first trading day of the new year as manufacturing data at both home and abroad bolstered the case for the global economic recovery. As of market close, the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) added 156 points, or 1.5%, to 10,584, while the broader S&P 500 ($INX) rose 18 points, or 1.6%, to 1,133. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite ($COMPX) gained 39 points, or 1.7%, to finish at 2,308.