Stocks start higher on Wall Street, helped by travel, energy

The New York Stock Exchange operates during normal business hours in the Financial District, Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

Stocks were slightly higher Tuesday, adding to the momentum the market had the day before, as investors continue to close out their positions for 2021.

Bank and health care stocks were among the better performers, while technology companies, which did well on Monday, lagged the broader market.

The S&P 500 was up 0.2% as of 10 a.m. Eastern. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.5% and the Nasdaq Composite was barely higher, up 0.1%.

Travel companies recovered some of their losses from this month. Carnival Corporation, Norwegian Cruise Lines as well as airlines Delta, United and American were all up 1% or more.

Investors continue to watch the spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus, which is quickly becoming the dominant strain throughout the world. While virus-related lockdowns and travel restrictions remain a big concern, most big investors have closed out their positions for 2021 and are like to hold their ground until next week.

The market got some encouraging news Monday when the Centers for Disease Control reduced the amount of time an infected person would need to isolate if they tested positive.

Oil prices continued to climb, adding to their gains from the day before. U.S. crude was up 1.1%. Energy companies like Valero Energy, Occidental Petroleum were among the top gainers in the S&P 500.