Dow Gains Most in 5 Weeks

U.S. stocks ended the session with solid gains on Wednesday, as minutes from the Federal Reserve’s last meeting showed that the central bank’s policy makers were cautiously optimistic about a rebound in the economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 158.75 points, or 0.97%, to 16,533.06, the best percentage gain in 5 weeks. The S&P 500 index added 15.20 points, or 0.81%, to 1,888.03. The Nasdaq Composite was up 34.65 points, or 0.85%, at 4,131.54.

Federal Reserve officials examined “several approaches” for the eventual tightening of monetary policy but only decided to be flexible, according to the minutes from the April meeting released Wednesday that suggested that the time for higher interest rates is drawing closer.

General Motors Co is recalling more than 218,000 older Chevrolet small cars in the United States and its territories due to a potential fire hazard, bringing U.S. recalls at the automaker this year to 29 and a record number of vehicles.

Shares of Credit Suisse Group (CS) are flat in heavy volume trading as pressure mounts on CEO Brady Dougan to quit, Reuters reports.