Financials Lead a Late Stock Surge

After a series of false starts stocks pushed solidly higher Tuesday, as crude-oil futures sold off for a second straight day and comments from top regulators and executives put investors at least momentarily at ease.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average swung between gains and losses for much of the session but enjoyed an afternoon rally that gained momentum in the last two hours of trading. The blue-chip measure gained 152.25 points, or 1.4%, to end at 11384.21, helped by sizable gains in all its financial components. Bank of America, a big loser in the previous session, led the way higher ...