2016.09.2823:58:00UTC+00U.S. Stocks Gain as Oil Prices Rallied

U.S. stocks advanced while oil prices surged. The gains drove both oil and energy firms in the S&P 500 into positive territory for September.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.6 percent to 18339.24. The S&P 500 rose by 0.5 percent to 2171.37 while the Nasdaq Composite jumped by 0.2 percent to 5318.55. U.S.-traded crude oil surged by 5.3 percent to $47.05 a barrel after reports that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries had reached a deal to reduce crude-oil production in order to lift the price of petroleum. The S&P 500's energy firms jumped by 4.3 percent and has been the best-performing sector in the index. Shares of Exxon Mobil advanced by 4.4 percent to $86.90 while Chevron gained 3.2 percent to 102.15. Stocks of biotech declined which limited the advances of the Nasdaq Composite. The Nasdaq biotechnology index slid by 0.9 percent. Nike dropped by 3.8 percent and was the largest decliner in the Dow industrials.

Investors focus on the health of the European banking sector. Recent losses in shares of banks cause unease in Europe, since banks constitute a significant share of direct lending in the economy, according to the Harris Financial Group's managing director, Jamie Cox.

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