NEW YORK, Aug. 25 -- For investors who loaded up on biotech last quarter, the melanoma data from Moderna Inc. arrived like a confirmation. For those who trusted DICK'S Sporting Goods to absorb the Foot Locker acquisition without breaking a sweat, it arrived like an invoice.

The S&P 500 gained 24.39 points, or 0.32 percent, to close at 7,677.25 on Tuesday, trading between a session low of 7,650.92 and a high of 7,686.11. The Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.57 percent, with technology and healthcare leading. Year to date the benchmark index has returned 12.15 percent and gained 19.23 percent over the past twelve months. Volume came in at roughly 942 million shares, lighter than the daily average, suggesting conviction behind the session's gains...