Stocks rose on Tuesday, lifting the Dow and the S&P 500 to 18-month closing highs, as a report signaling further signs of stabilization in housing fueled investor appetite for riskier assets.

* The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> rose 102.94 points, or 0.95 percent, to end unofficially at 10,888.83. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 8.36 points, or 0.72 percent, to finish unofficially at 1,174.17. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> shot up 19.84 points, or 0.83 percent, to end unofficially at 2,415.24 -- its highest close in 19 months.

(Reporting by Ellis Mnyandu; Editing by Jan Paschal)