CLOSING BELL

Dow 11005.97  +8.62 , Nasdaq 2457.87  +3.82 , S&P 1196.48  +2.11 

An agreement by the European Union to provide financial aid to Greece drove down the dollar and helped stocks hit new 52-week highs.

European Union ministers agreed to offer to Greece $30 billion Euros to bail out Greece and prevent the country from default on their debt.  The assistance for Greece helps but does not address the fiscal problems with Portugal, Spain, and Italy.

Volatility fell as a result of the positive the stock market gains.  The Volatility Index, (VIX) often called the Fear Index, closed down -3.9%.  It had been down as much as -5.6% to a new 30-month low today.

Alcoa (AA) 14.57 +0.18, +1.25% kicked off the first quarter earnings season by matching consensus estimates and reporting earnings of +$0.10 per share.

Advancing Sectors: Financials +0.5%, Utilities +0.4%, Tech +0.3%, Industrials +0.3%, Energy +0.3%, Consumer Staples +0.1%
Declining Sectors: Materials -0.5%, Telecom -0.2%, Health Care -0.2%
Unchanged: Consumer Discretionary