US: Stocks up in early trading

[NEW YORK] US stocks opened higher on Tuesday on hopes for a deal to avert a Greek default and on solid earnings from Coca-Cola and others.

Five minutes into trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at 17,813.08, up 83.87 points.

The broad-based S&P 500 gained 9.80 to 2,056.54, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 24.13 to 4,750.14.

The Greek stock market vaulted eight percent higher on hopes that a meeting Wednesday in Brussels with eurozone finance ministers would yield progress on a deal to avert a default.

Dow member Coca-Cola rose 3.5 per cent as fourth-quarter earnings translated into 44 cents per share, two cents above analyst estimates.

AFP