Stocks opened flat on Tuesday as investors found little reason to keep pushing shares higher after comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke sparked a rally.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 8.78 points, or 0.07 percent, at 13,250.41. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> added 0.96 points, or 0.07 percent, at 1,417.47. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> edged up 0.61 points, or 0.02 percent, at 3,123.18.

(Reporting By Chuck Mikolajczak; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Ben Bernanke