Money | Dow Jones Dow Gains 40 on Housing Starts Whole Foods, Deere report strong earnings By Nick McMaster Posted Feb 17, 2010 3:23 PM CST Copied In this photo made Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2010, trader Sean Birks works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) Stocks saw solid gains as US housing starts hit their highest level in 6 months, and earnings from Whole Foods and Deere beat market expectations, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Dow rose 40 points to close at 10,309. The Nasdaq added 12 points, settling at 2,226. The S&P 500 gained 5 points, closing at 1,100. Read These Next President Monroe's daughter wrote a desperate plea in 1839. 'Butt-breathing' could be the future for struggling patients. Online boo-bears go after the demo firm tearing White House apart. Plane windshield partially shatters mid-flight. There's a suspect. Report an error