Markets end up on optimism about debt talks

21/07/2011 - 20:08

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks ended higher on Thursday as signs of progress on the U.S. debt talks and concrete action from Europe on its own debt crisis heartened investors.

Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 153.64 points, or 1.22 percent, to end unofficially at 12,725.55. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 18.00 points, or 1.36 percent, at 1,343.84. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 20.20 points, or 0.72 percent, at 2,834.43.

(Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Leslie Adler)