By Kate Gibson

U.S. stock investors have found reason to cheer in recent data showing strength in home and car sales. But stock analysts caution both markets drew short-lived boosts from government stimulus programs, one of which ends Monday, the other at the end of November.

Housing and car sales data "continue to be skewed by government bailout efforts," said Paul Nolte, director of investments at Hinsdale Associates.

"What makes the data more concerning for the long-term viability of any recovery that we may be in the middle of is much of the activity came from distressed sales, inventories of unsold homes still rose and home prices are still falling," said Nolte.

With the government's "cash for clunkers" program ending later Monday, "we'll now get to see what the natural supply and demand dynamic is in the auto industry," said Peter Boockvar, equity strategist at Miller Tabak & Co. .

Shares of Toyota Motor Corp. (TM) slipped 0.2%. The auto maker's Corolla was the top-selling model under the incentive program. Shares of Honda Motor Co. (HMC), which makes the Civic, the second best-selling car in the program, tilted 0.1% higher, while Ford Motor Co.'s (F) Focus ranked third. Shares of Ford fell 2.8%.

"The other major program, the 'cash for shelter' plan providing tax credits for home purchases, runs to Nov. 31 but there is already talk of enlarging its size and making it available to all home buyers, not just first time," Boockvar added.

Monday, stocks pulled higher for a fifth day in the wake of a report Friday that existing home sales climbed more quickly than forecast. .

Energy, financials and materials paced sector gains as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) climbed 74.06 points, or 0.8%, to 9,580.02. The S&P 500 Index (SPX) added 8.83 points, or 0.9%, to 1,034.96, while the Nasdaq Composite (RIXF) rose 13.71 points, or 0.7%, to 2,034.61.

"The persistent rise in the stock market may be signaling an end to the recession or investors may be whistling past the graveyard," said Nolte of the market's trend upward.