pU.S. stocks rose on Tuesday (December 11), led by gains in technology companies, helping the S&P 500 end at its highest level since Election Day.pbr pA 2.2 percent gain to $541.39 (USD) in Apple's stock lifted the Nasdaq, as the largest U.S. company by market value rebounded from a week in which investors took profits before a possible tax rise next year. Prior to Tuesday's trading, Apple shares had lost 25 percent from an all-time intraday high hit in September.pbr pStocks pared some gains by late afternoon as more news on the "fiscal cliff" negotiations emerged. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said it will be difficult to reach agreement resolving the cliff tax hikes and spending cuts before Christmas.pbr pThe S&P 500 had lost 5.3 percent in the seven sessions following Election Day as investors refocused on the threat posed to the economy by the fiscal cliff, a series of automatic spending cuts and tax increases. Markets have mostly recovered those losses, but volume has been thin, suggesting investors are not betting aggressively due to the uncertainty.pbr pThe Dow Jones industrial average was up 78.56 points, or 0.60 percent, at 13,248.44. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 9.29 points, or 0.65 percent, at 1,427.84. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 35.34 points, or 1.18 percent, at 3,022.30.pbr pOther major tech stocks also rose. Texas Instruments gained 4 percent to $31.01 (USD) after bumping up its profit target late Monday (December 10). That helped other chipmakers rally, with the PHLX Semiconductor index up 1.9 percent. Microsoft rose 1.4 percent to $27.32 (USD).pbr pThe lack of demonstrable progress in the fiscal cliff negotiations has kept investors from making aggressive bets in recent weeks.pbr pRepublican House Speaker John Boehner called on President Barack Obama to propose a counter-offer on Tuesday (December 11).pbr pThe Fed began a two-day policy-setting meeting on Tuesday. The central bank is expected to announce a new round of Treasury bond purchases when the meeting ends on Wednesday to replace its "Operation Twist" stimulus, which expires at the end of the year.