U.S. stocks rose Wednesday, a day after a sharp sell-off, as value investors picked up shares in lagging sectors such as healthcare. Drug maker Merck & Co. rose even as it said that 2005 earnings will decline to levels below Wall Street expectations. Shares of rival Pfizer Inc. also climbed on the New York Stock Exchange. Crude prices hovered around $42 a barrel after the government said U.S. distillate stocks rose 1.4 million barrels last week, while industry group American Petroleum Institute said they fell 1.2 million barrels. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 52.17 points, or 0.50 percent, at 10,492.53. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 4.64 points, or 0.39 percent, at 1,181.71. The technology-laced Nasdaq Composite Index was up 9.20 points, or 0.44 percent, at 2,123.86. "Stocks are bouncing back a little," said Ken Tower, chief market analyst at Cybertrader, a subsidiary of Charles Schwab. --More 2315 Local Time 2015 GMT
