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The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 39.49 points (0.34 percent) to 11,655.26 at the closing bell while the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite added a hefty 28.54 points (1.21 percent) at 2,378.37.

The broad-market Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 4.43 points (0.34 percent) to 1,289.31, according to preliminary closing figures.

The major indexes extended their gains from a massive rally Tuesday in part fueled by declining crude oil prices.

The benchmark New York oil futures contract closed 59 cents lower Wednesday at 118.58 dollars a barrel. It is about 20 percent lower than the record-high peak above 147 dollars reached on July 11.