NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks climbed for the second day in a row Wednesday at the end of a brutal month for the global market. Investors applauded strong quarterly results from companies including Facebook and General Motors, but U.S. stocks still finished with their worst monthly loss in seven years.

Markets in Europe, Asia and the U.S. rallied following better-than-expected results from various companies and continued hiring by U.S. businesses. Many of the biggest gains Wednesday came from technology and internet companies and retailers, which plunged early in October as investors worried about ri...