Wall Street up on Italy Hopes

Stocks rose at the open on Friday as Italy's Senate approved economic reforms crucial to avoid a euro zone meltdown.

Investors had worried Italy would be forced to seek a bailout the euro zone cannot afford.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> added 180.27 points, or 1.52 percent, to 12,074.06. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> rose 17.62 points, or 1.42 percent, to 1,257.31. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> gained 31.33 points, or 1.19 percent, to 2,656.47.

(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)