Stocks are closing sharply higher, giving the market its best day in over a month. Traders were encouraged by several pieces of good news on the US economy Tuesday, including a jump in construction spending to the highest level in eight years. Homebuilders and banks were among the biggest gainers. JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America each rose 5%. The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 348 points, or 2.1%, to 16,865. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 46 points, or 2.4%, to 1,978. The Nasdaq composite rose 131 points, or 2.9%, to 4,689. (More Dow Jones stories.)