THE REAL MOST ACTIVE Stocks Advance In Heavy Trade; Transports Excel.(MAKING MONEY)

Byline: KATHARINE STALTER

NYSE stocks gained ground Wednesday in heavier volume. The S&P 500 rose 1.5%, the Dow 1.6%. The Dow transports had an especially good day, traveling north 2.1%.

Mine Safety Appliances surged 2.48 to 49.88, crossing its pivot point of 48.90 on nearly double average volume. It built a cup base earlier this month, then formed a high handle. The Pittsburgh-based maker of industrial safety gear has logged earnings per share growth of 45% to 93% the past five quarters.

CACI International moved up 2.23 to 64.36 on brisk trade. The Arlington, Va.-based firm, which provides information technology services to the Defense Department, has outperformed the market since summer. It has a Relative Price Strength Rating of 87.

Futures market Chicago Mercantile Exchange bounded 11.90 to close at 207.61, near its session high, on almost double typical turnover. The exchange said Wednesday that its own average trading volume in November was 40% higher than year-ago levels. For the past two weeks, the stock had been forming a short consolidation at around 200.

India-based bank HDFC moved up 0.75 ...