NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rose on Tuesday as data showed the U.S. economy contracted as expected, while investors shrugged off weaker-than-expected home sales data in light volume during the holiday shortened week.
* Gross domestic product data, the government's final estimate for the third quarter, confirmed that the economy contracted at an annual rate of 0.5 percent as economists had expected. The focus has shifted to the current quarter, which is expected to be much weaker.
* The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> rose 64.99 points, or 0.76 percent, to 8,584.76. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> added 7.64 points, or 0.88 percent, to 879.27. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 14.26 points, or 0.93 percent, at 1,546.61.
(Reporting by Leah Schnurr, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)