US stocks rose at the open on Tuesday, extending a rally that lifted the S&P 500 to its highest in nearly two months, as optimism grew that a deal would be made to avert the "fiscal cliff."
The Dow Jones industrial average gained 12.11 points, or 0.09%, to 13,247.50. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 2.13 points, or 0.15%, to 1,432.49. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 9.93 points, or 0.33%, to 3,020.53.
