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US stocks gain in midday trading; Apple, Harley up

In this Oct. 8, 2014 photo, a man walks to work on Wall Street, near the New York Stock Exchange, in New York. Stocks are opening higher Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014 after several big companies reported results that pleased investors. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) In this Oct. 8, 2014 photo, a man walks to work on Wall Street, near the New York Stock Exchange, in New York. Stocks are opening higher Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014 after several big companies reported results that pleased investors. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

By Associated Press October 21, 2014 1 min read

NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. stocks were solidly higher in midday trading as the market headed for a fourth day of gains.

Traders were encouraged by economic growth figures from China, as well as strong quarterly earnings from several big U.S. companies.

Apple and Harley-Davidson both rose after releasing their latest quarterly results. Apple gained 2 percent after predicting strong holiday sales, and Harley-Davidson jumped 7 percent after its results beat analysts’ forecasts.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 28 points, or 1.5 percent, to 1,932 as of 11:45 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 163 points, or 1 percent, to 16,562.

The Nasdaq composite rose 77 points, or 1.8 percent, to 4,393.

The price of oil rose. U.S. crude gained 44 cents to $82.35 a barrel.