Stocks rose on Wednesday, shaking off a slide in Chinese stocks, as investors responded favorably to a surprising drop in crude oil stockpiles that might suggest an improving demand outlook.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> rose 61.22 points, or 0.66 percent, to end unofficially at 9,279.16. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 6.79 points, or 0.69 percent, to finish unofficially at 996.46. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> added 13.32 points, or 0.68 percent, to close unofficially at 1,969.24.

(Reporting by Leah Schnurr; Editing by Jan Paschal)