Stocks end sharply higher on ‘cliff’ hopes

Stocks rallied strongly Monday on optimism that a deal to avoid the so-called “fiscal cliff” can be reached and on strong quarterly earnings from corporations. The Dow Jones industrial average ended up 207.65 points, 1.7% to 12,795.96. The broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index finished up 27.01 poi…

Here is the original: 
Stocks end sharply higher on ‘cliff’ hopes