ALCOA (AA) 13.13 -$0.09 (-0.68%) 10:06PM (15 mins delay)

The S&P 500 managed to eek out a 0.2% gain overnight Tuesday, largely thanks to the industrials and basic materials sectors, together with an M&A-driven jump in the transport sector as Warren B. plays Texas Hold’em and goes all in on the future of the US economy. Considering the pressure that the US equity market was under at the open, many investors will see this price action as somewhat encouraging.

Stocks have started on the front foot Wednesday with insurer Hartford Financial (HIG) lifting its profit forecast after beating Q3 expectations. Alcoa (AA) is also on the rise, and Time Warner (TWX) is up on reported EPS of 61c versus Street estimates of 54c