US stocks rise, led by utilities and telecom companies

Safe-play stocks like utilities and telecommunications companies were the biggest gainers on Tuesday as the market comes off its worst opening to a year in history.

Energy stocks fared poorly as the price of oil took another tumble. U.S. crude sank $1 to a little under $29 a barrel, its lowest price since 2003.

Tiffany sank 5 percent after the company reported weak holiday sales for jewelry.

The Dow Jones industrial average edged up 27 points, or 0.2 percent, to 16,016.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index eked out a gain of a point, less than 0.1 percent, to 1,881. The Nasdaq composite gave up 11 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,476.