U.S. stocks finish higher for fifth straight session; Nasdaq gains 1.2%

NEW YORK (MarketWatch)
U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 index gaining for a fifth consecutive session, buoyed by optimism that Republicans and Democrats will eventually reach a deal to prevent the automatic spending cuts and tax hikes set to go into effect early next year
The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 78.56 points, or 0.6%, to 13,248.44, ending higher for a fifth straight session
The S&P 500 index gained 9.29 points, or 0.7%, to 1,427.84, with the technology sector posting the biggest gains among its 10 major industry groups
The Nasdaq Composite rose 35.34 points, or 1.2%, to 3,022.30