Stocks rose on Tuesday, sending the benchmark S&P 500 to its highest close in 17 months, after the U.S. Federal Reserve pledged to keep interest rates low for an extended period to sustain the economic recovery.

* The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 43.83 points, or 0.41 percent, to end unofficially at 10,685.98. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 8.95 points, or 0.78 percent, to finish unofficially at 1,159.46. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 15.80 points, or 0.67 percent, to close unofficially at 2,378.01.

(Reporting by Ellis Mnyandu; Editing by Jan Paschal)