Stocks continued a rebound following a private research group report that Americans' confidence in the economy has improved in September.

The reading, which doesn't reflect attitudes following Monday's steep stock market sell-off, remains near a 16-year low. The Conference Board reports Tuesday its Consumer Confidence Index rose to 59.8 from a revised 58.5 in August.

Wall Street had expected a reading of 55.5, according to Thomson/IFR.

The Dow Jones industrials are up 215 at the 10,588 level.