Stocks ended higher on Wednesday as the slow progress from European leaders in resolving their debt crisis was enough to satisfy investors, even if the first reports from an EU summit were short on detail.

Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 160.45 points, or 1.37 percent, at 11,867.07. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 12.91 points, or 1.05 percent, at 1,241.96. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 11.77 points, or 0.45 percent, at 2,650.19. (Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Kenneth Barry)