Stocks post modest gain in light trading

U.S. stocks posted moderate gains, recovering a small portion of the big losses recorded late last week. Energy stocks continued to fall as the price of oil fell.

Hospital operator Tenet Healthcare rose 11 percent after it renewed a contract with health insurer Aetna.

Crude fell another 1 percent, nearing levels not seen since the financial crisis, and oil company shares slid. Newfield Exploration dropped 4 percent and ConocoPhillips fell 2 percent.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 122 points, or 0.7 percent, to close at 17,251.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 16 points, or 0.8 percent, to close at 2,021. The Nasdaq composite gained 46 points, or 0.9 percent, to close at 4,962.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.19 percent.