Stocks hit session highs on Tuesday, with all three major indexes up more than 2 percent as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's commitment to keep banks healthy motivated investors to buy beaten-down shares.

Financials and energy lead stocks rise.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> added 145.44 points, or 2.04 percent, to 7,260.22. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> rose 19.17 points, or 2.58 percent, to 762.50. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> gained 29.21 points, or 2.10 percent, to 1,416.93.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by James Dalgleish)

Ben Bernanke