Wall St. extends gains on energy, materials

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rallied on Wednesday as share prices at 12-year lows lured investors to break a five-day sell-off and a jump in prices of oil and other commodities boosted energy and natural resource companies.

Investor optimism was also bolstered by news that China will increase spending in areas such as infrastructure and manufacturing under a second stimulus package. Data suggested that China's economy may also be on the brink of a recovery.

Dow component Caterpillar Inc , a big exporter to China and a major seller of equipment to the mining industry, jumped 15 percent to $25.86. Also lifting the blue-chip index was IBM , up 3.8 percent to $91.06 and energy company Chevron , which rose 4.2 percent to $60.17.

(Editing by James Dalgleish)