Stocks surged late in trading on Tuesday as buyers latched onto another report of agreements to strengthen the euro zone's rescue fund to bid up stocks aggressively.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 179.67 points, or 1.58 percent, at 11,576.67, according to the latest available figures. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 24.39 points, or 2.03 percent, at 1,225.25. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 42.51 points, or 1.63 percent, at 2,657.43.

(Reporting by Ryan Vlastelica; Editing by Kenneth Barry)