Most-Searched Stocks: Citigroup

Stocks flew higher Tuesday, as positive comments from Citigroup's(C) CEO and the possibility of the uptick rule being reinstated cheered investors. The good news from Citigroup spilled over into shares of fellow financials Bank of America(BAC) and JP Morgan Chase(JPM) sending all three onto TheStreet.com's top ten most searched stocks list.

Citi chief Vikram Pandit offered some reassurance to investors and the market, saying the bank has had a strong start to 2009. Nonetheless, U.S. officials are reportedly examining what new steps they might need to take to stabilize Citi if conditions worsen for the bank, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The Treasury Department already has a 36% stake in the troubled U.S. bank, which dipped below $1 a share briefly last week.

Stocks appeared to get an added boost after CNBC reported that Rep. Barney Frank (D., Mass.) believes the uptick rule might be restored within a month. The uptick rule hasn't been in effect since 2007, and some market observers believe that has allowed unfettered short-selling to take down shares. Before the rule was repealed, a short sale could only come after a move higher in a security's price.

Merck(MRK) remains on the most searched stocks list on the heels of yesterday's $41 billion bid for its cholesterol-drug partner Schering-Plough(SGP).

And in other mergers and acquisitions news, Dow Chemical(DOW) and Rohm & Haas(ROH) reached an agreement to merge by April 1. Both companies were heavily searched on TheStreet.com, along with Genentech(DNA) which is reportedly nearing a deal with European drugmaker Roche about a prospective takeover.