U.S. stocks rose Wednesday, as investors considered notes from the December meeting of U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) policymakers. Investors were watching the U.S. dollar, which retreated 0.4 percent from its highest levels in 14 years. Gold hit a nearly four-week high as the dollar declined and physical demand from major consumers China and India increased. Gold futures climbed $4.20 to $1,166.10 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 93 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $53.26 a barrel. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 60.40, or 0.3 percent, to 19,942.16. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 12.92, or 0.6 percent, to 2,270.75. The technology-heavy Nasdaq composite index rose 47.93, or 0.9 percent, to 5,477.01. Shares of Apple fell 0.1 percent.
