MARKET SNAPSHOT: U.S. Stocks Rise Amid Upbeat Earnings

By Anora Mahmudova and Barbara Kollmeyer, MarketWatch

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday amid positive earnings results, rebounding after three days of brutal losses that sent the main benchmarks to their lowest levels in months.

The S&P 500 on Monday closed at its lowest level since May 20 and fell below its 200-day moving average for the first time in nearly two years. The S&P 500's breach of it's moving average is significant because some market observers see it as a bearish signal that the market may be in store for further declines.

Meanwhile, investors welcomed better-than-expected earnings results from Citigroup Inc. and Johnson & Johnson, which outweighed downbeat German sentiment data that hit equities across Europe.

The S&P 500 (SPX) rose 14 points, or 0.7%, to 1,889.45. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) added 109 points, or 0.7%, to 16,430.95. The Nasdaq Composite (RIXF) gained 45 points, or 1.1%, to 4,258.12.

In economic data, National Federation of Independent Business said its small-business optimism index fell 0.8 points to 95.3, which is 5 points below the pre-recession average.

Vote here: Does this stock slump have further to go?

Earnings in focus: Citi (C) shares popped up 2.9% after third-quarter profit and revenue rose from the year-earlier period. Citi also plans to pare back from retail banking in smaller countries.

Meanwhile, Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) shares slipped 2.2% even as the bank's quarterly profit met expectations but revenue beat estimates.

J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) swung to a third-quarter profit as the bank rebounded from a year-earlier period in which it was hit by big legal charges. The bank's profit per share and revenue narrowly missed expectations. J.P. Morgan shares fell 1.7%.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) shares picked up 1.6% after quarterly earnings climbed nearly 30% on higher pharmaceutical sales.

Domino's Pizza Inc. (DPZ) was up 4.3% after the chain delivered better-than-expected results.

Among other stocks in focus, Versar Inc. (VSR) surged 37%. Its PPS unit makes hazmat suits and mobile decontamination shelters. Other stocks linked to concerns over the Ebola virus continued a pattern of pushing higher.

Lakeland Industries Inc. (LAKE) and Alpha Pro Tech Ltd. (APT) fell more than 20%, after soaring during the previous few sessions on Ebola fears. Ebola stock trading volumes should raise red flags

Other markets:European stocks fell after a key sentiment survey out of Germany turned negative. Burberry Group PLC shares dropped after the luxury-goods maker posted a rise in sales, but cited unfavorable foreign exchange headwinds and Chinese weakness. U.K. inflation fell to a five-year low. The European Court of Justice has begun holding a hearing on the European Central Bank's Outright Monetary Transactions bond-buying program.

In Asia, the Nikkei 225 index sank 2.4%, falling below the 15,000 level and skidding to two-month lows.

Crude-oil prices(CLX4) drifted lower, and gold(GCZ4) inched up, while the dollar ((USDJPY) pulled back from an overnight slip against the Japanese yen.

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