U.S. Stocks Open Higher Ahead of Bernanke's Comments

U.S. stocks opened higher on Tuesday ahead of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's testimony.

Bernanke will be speaking before the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday and investors are keeping a close watch on the wording of the testimony.

Meanwhile, the U.S. ISM manufacturing index will be released in the morning section. The reading is considered as one of the evidence of economic recovery.

Construction spending data for the month of January is also expected on Tuesday.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 32.66 points, or 0.27 percent, to 12,259.00. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index jumped 4.99 points, or 0.18 percent, to 2,787.26. The Nasdaq gained 4.38 points, or 0.33 percent, to 1,331.60.