NEW YORK — Stocks turned higher Tuesday once investors got the news they had been hoping for: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi promised to resign once a new budget was passed. The Dow Jones industrials closed up 101 points.
Italy became a key focus for investors this week after doubts emerged that the country would go through with a tough package of austerity measures. Many investors saw Berlusconi as an obstacle to sweeping economic reforms needed to help Italy avoid sinking into a debt crisis.
The yield on the 10-year Italian government bond spiked close to 7 percent Tuesday, a sign that markets are questioning the country’s ability to pay its debt. Unlike Greece, Portugal or Ireland — all of which received financial lifelines — Italy has too much debt to be rescued by its European neighbors.
Europe’s debt crisis has dictated much of the trading in financial markets since the beginning of October. Investors fear that a default by Greece or another nation that shares the euro currency could lead to a widespread financial crisis similar to the one in 2008 after the fall of Lehman Brothers.
“Europe is the last big question hanging over the market and drowned out a decent earnings season,” said Rick Fier, vice president of equity trading at Conifer Securities. “The market has been so whipsawed lately that it’s really just staying in place until we know some more outcomes.”
The Dow rose 101.79 points, or 0.8 percent, to close at 12,170.18. Manufacturer 3M gained 2.7 percent, the most of the 30 stocks in the average.
The S&P 500 rose 14.80, or 1.2 percent, to 1,275.92. Financial companies posted the strongest gains. Regions Financial jumped 5.3 percent. Wells Fargo climbed 4.4 percent.
The Nasdaq composite rose 32.24, or 1.2 percent, to 2,727.49.
U.S. stock indexes had fallen in the morning after Berlusconi narrowly survived a confidence vote, a sign that he might continue to cling to power. The market turned higher immediately after headlines crossed about 2 p.m. Eastern saying Berlusconi had promised to step down after economic reforms are passed. That is expected to happen next week.
