Washington DC's best-known stocks rose with the market to finish up 2.2%. At market close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1.9%, the NASDAQ up 2.2%, and the S&P 500 up 2%.

Biggest Gainer
In Washington DC, Strayer Education Inc (NASDAQ:STRA) closed at $69.42 (+5.8%), making it Thursday's biggest gainer. Another big gainer was Genworth Financial (NYSE:GNW), rising 5.3% to close at $5.45 on volume of 10.7 million. With 213,653 shares changing hands, the stock traded at 1.4 times its average volume over the past three months. Strayer Education, through its subsidiaries, makes post-secondary education achievable and convenient for working adults in today's economy.

Biggest Loser
Thursday, Pepco Holdings (NYSE:POM) was the biggest loser. Shares fell 0.4% or $0.07 to finish at $19.32. Falling 0.1% to close at $55.69 on volume of 441,302, United Therapeutics Corporation (NASDAQ:UTHR) was also hit hard. With 1.4 million shares changing hands, the stock traded at 0.6 times its three-month average volume. Pepco Holdings is an energy company that delivers electricity and natural gas and generates and supplies energy.

Other Notable Washington DC Stocks
• The Advisory Board Company (ABCO): $46.90 (+$1.16)
• AES (AES): $11.37 (+$0.08)
• Saul Centers Inc (BFS): $44.64 (+$0.86)
• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (USA) (CM): $78.87 (+$1.03)
• CapitalSource, Inc. (CSE): $7.10 (+$0.11)
• Coventry Health Care (CVH): $41.42 (+$0.08)
• Danaher (DHR): $54.47 (+$1.63)
• Gannett (GCI): $16.06 (+$0.50)
• General Dynamics (GD): $66.72 (+$1.94)
• Genworth Financial (GNW): $5.45 (+$0.28)
• CarMax (KMX): $32.76 (+$1.14)
• Lockheed Martin (LMT): $92.83 (+$1.30)
• Liquidity Services, Inc. (LQDT): $54.02 (+$1.80)
• Mantech International Corp (MANT): $22.48 (+$0.14)
• Marriott International (MAR): $38.75 (+$1.35)
• MicroStrategy Incorporated (MSTR): $128.28 (+$2.30)
• NVR, Inc. (NVR): $851.82 (+$7.73)
• OPNET Technologies, Inc. (OPNT): $32.65 (+$0.48)
• Orbital Sciences Corp (ORB): $14.21 (+$0.32)
• Pepco Holdings (POM): $19.32 (-$0.07)
• Rosetta Stone Inc (RST): $12.38 (+$0.40)
• COMSCORE, Inc. (SCOR): $14.65 (+$0.44)
• SLM (SLM): $15.78 (+$0.30)
• Strayer Education Inc (STRA): $69.42 (+$3.78)
• United Therapeutics Corporation (UTHR): $55.69 (-$0.04)
• The Washington Post Company (WPO): $353.29 (+$4.69)