Stocks opened sharply higher on Wednesday as optimism about corporate earnings, including Boeing Co's strong results, offset concerns about a meeting of European leaders to tackle the region's debt crisis.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 154.77 points, or 1.32 percent, at 11,861.39. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> rose 13.87 points, or 1.13 percent, at 1,242.92. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> gained 27.63 points, or 1.05 percent, at 2,666.05.

(Reporting by Ryan Vlastelica; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

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