NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks ended higher on Tuesday, rebounding from their worst decline since November, after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke defended the Fed's bond-buying stimulus and sales of new homes hit a 4 1-2-year high.

Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> shot up 115.96 points, or 0.84 percent, to end unofficially at 13,900.13. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 9.10 points, or 0.61 percent, to finish unofficially at 1,496.94. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> advanced 13.40 points, or 0.43 percent, to close unofficially at 3,129.65.

(Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Jan Paschal)