Stock Market Today: Stocks Resume Rally on Strong Earnings, Economic Data The major market indexes ran higher right from the start on Wednesday – and never looked back. Helping boost investor sentiment were a pair of economic reports that indicated the U.S. economy is still growing. Data from the Institute for Supply Management this morning showed business activity in the services sector hit a three-month high of 56.7% in July. SEE MORE Are We in a Recession? Here''s What the Experts Say "The ISM services index not only defied the consensus expectation for a decline, but rose by the most in five months in July," says Wells Fargo senior economist Tim Quinlan. "A jump in new orders bodes well for coming demand, and an array of measures suggests supply chain pressures continue to ease." A separate report showed factory orders were up 2% month-over-month in June, more than economists were expecting. Sign up for Kiplinger''s FREE Investing Weekly e-letter for stock, ETF and mutual fund recommendations, and other investing advice. A heavy dose of well-received corporate earnings reports added to the bullish buzz.