NEW YORK (July 3, 2012)--Stocks closed up Tuesday after an encouraging report about U.S. factory orders and an increase in energy prices, as tension grows over oil-rich Iran.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 72 points to close at 12,944.

The Standard & Poor's 500 rose nine to close at 1,374.

The Nasdaq composite index rose 25 to end the day at 2,976.

General Motors and Ford were both up after reporting higher sales in June.

Oil prices were up about 3.5 percent, pushing energy stocks higher.

Trading volume was light, at about 2.1 billion.

The market closed early and many investors had already taken off for the Fourth of July holiday.

For every stock on the New York Stock Exchange that fell, about five stocks advanced.