Stocks Ended Higher after Better-than-expected Data

U.S. stocks ended higher on Wednesday after a pair of stronger-than-expected economic reports. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 27.06 points, or 0.12%, to 21,882.43. The S&P 500 gained 11.29 points, or 0.46%, to 2,457.59. The Nasdaq Composite added 66.42 points, or 1.05%, to 6,368.31.

Crude-oil futures ended lower Wednesday as gasoline prices rallied to a 2-year high, with traders expecting upcoming government reports to reveal the impact of Hurricane Harvey-related crude production and refinery shutdowns. October West Texas Intermediate crude fell 48 cents, or 1%, to settle at $45.96 a barrel. October Brent crude fell $1.14, or 2.2%, to $50.86 a barrel.

Private-sector hiring skyrocketed in August, according to data released Wednesday. Employers added a seasonally adjusted 237,000 jobs during the month, payroll processor ADP said. That was a big gain from the 178,000 jobs ADP reported in July, and which it revised up to 201,000.