Major US stock indices rallied Tuesday after a report on new housing starts showed ground was broken in November at a pace that was a 19-month high, dpa reported.
The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 337.32 points, or 2.87 per cent, to 12,103.58. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 Index leapt 35.95 points, or 2.98 per cent, to 1,241.3. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 80.59 points, or 3.19 per cent, to 2,603.73.
The US currency slipped against the euro to 76.45 euro cents from 76.95 euro cents on Monday. The dollar was off against the Japanese currency to 77.85 yen from 78.04 yen.