U.S. markets advanced Tuesday as home sales shrank less than expected and the president signed health care reform into law. Sales of existing homes fell 0.6% in February, according to a report from the National Association of Realtors. Prices were down 1.8% from early 2009 but sales were up 7% in the past year thanks to low interest rates and a big tax credit for homebuyers.  Homebuilder shares moved a little on the news, with the SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF ( XHB - news - people ) up 0.8% for the day. Meanwhile, one of the biggest firm's in the industry, KB Home ( KBH - news - people ), told investors its quarterly loss narrowed to 71 cents a share. Shareholders were unimpressed and knocked 1.7% off the stock, though it was climbing back in extended trading after the close.  Health care stocks were back in focus Tuesday after big swings to start the week off thanks to the passage by Congress late Sunday of a sweeping overhaul of the nation's medical insurance system. Drug makers were broadly higher as Pfizer ( PFE - news - people ) gained 2.3% and Bristol Myers Squibb ( BMY - news - people ) rose 1.2%. Investors paused on hospitals, however, after bidding them up on Monday. Tenet Healthcare ( THC - news - people ) was up 0.5%.  Insurers were mixed again, though most big underwriters fell slightly. Aetna ( AET - news - people ) bucked the trend with a gain of 1% while Cigna ( CI - news - people ) lost 0.9% and UnitedHealth ( UNH - news - people ) was down 0.4%.  The major indexes all shrugged off a lethargic morning to post solid gains by the end of the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 103 points, or 1%, to 10,889, the blue chip index's highest level since September 2008. The S&P 500 was up eight points, or 0.7%, to 1,174 and the Nasdaq gained 20 points, or 0.8%, to 2,415.  After the closing bell attention turned to technology shares with software giant Adobe Systems ( ADBE - news - people ) reporting quarterly results slightly ahead of Wall Street estimates. The maker of popular media applications earned 40 cents a share in the last quarter, three pennies better than analysts had guessed but down five cents from a year ago. Adobe shares jumped 6.8% in late trading.  The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Adobe jumps after hours on profit news. Dow at 18 month high as real estate gives investors hope for a turnaround.