Wall St opens higher as Greek deal passes

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US stocks rose at the open Monday, with the S&P 500 recouping nearly all of its declines from the previous session, as Greece's parliament approved strict financial reforms needed to obtain its latest international bailout package.

The European banking shares index gained 1.1%, and an index of Greek banks  surged 13.5% after the vote, which had sparked widespread rioting in Athens. The euro gained 0.15% against the dollar.

Bank of America Corp climbed 2.4% to USD 8.27 in New York and Citigroup Inc advanced 2% to USD 33.59. The KBW bank index added 1%.

"There was some apprehension about it, but the fact of the matter is it was done, and it's given some very real clarity to markets in terms of what kind of risk Greece represents to the market," said Peter Kenny, managing director at Knight Capital in Jersey City, New Jersey.

"The politicians that were put in place, particularly the prime minister by the (European Central Bank), delivered on the goods, and the markets are largely banking on the fact he will be able to deliver on the actual outcome."

Even with parliamentary approval, the Greek government remained under pressure to convince a skeptical euro zone that it would abide by the terms of a multi-billion-euro rescue package.

While Greece's economy is small in the context of the euro zone, investors are concerned the ramifications of a disorderly default could spread through the financial system and put other weaker members of the bloc at risk.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 55.93 points, or 0.44%, to 12,857.16. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 7.30 points, or 0.54%, to 1,349.94. The Nasdaq Composite Index added 22.46 points, or 0.77%, to 2,926.34.

The benchmark S&P index traded near the 1,350 level, seen as a resistance point, which some analysts see as a possible trigger for a pullback after a rally of more than 7% to start the year.

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