U.S. stocks made strong gains Wednesday as a tumble in oil prices boosted investor confidence about the economy, but thin volume meant dealers were skeptical about the strength of the rally. Boeing Co. helped push the Dow and Standard & Poor's 500 indexes higher after Singapore Airlines Ltd. said it plans to buy up to 31 Boeing long-range 777-300ER planes worth about $7.35 billion. But oil continued to be the focus and fueled market strength as NYMEX October crude futures tumbled nearly $2 to end below $44 a barrel amid a fall in the price of gasoline. High oil prices concern investors because of the impact increased costs have on corporate profit margins and consumer spending. A drop in the crude price generally boosts stocks. "Oil is significantly off its recent highs, so that will lessen people's anxieties about oil and its effect on the economy," said Tom Schrader, managing director, U.S. equity trading at Legg Mason Wood Walker in Baltimore. --MORE 2356 Local Time 2056 GMT
