Stocks end higher; Alaska Air soars | The Salt Lake Tribune

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The stock market is ending higher as traders buy companies that fare best when the economic outlook is bright.

All major stocks indexes rose Tuesday, but gains were led by the riskier parts of the market. Those advances suggest that investors are more confident about the economy's prospects.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 75 points to 15,300. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 11 points to 1,652. The Nasdaq composite rose 19 points to 3,504

The Russell 2000, an index of small company stocks, rose eight points to 1,018. It has gained 4.2 percent in July and is at record levels.

The Dow Jones transportation index rose on strong gains for Alaska Air Group and FedEx. That index is seen as a leading indicator for the broader economy.