YAHOO [BRIEFING.COM]: The major market averages ended with solid gains, finishing at their best levels of the session. Early strength was attributed to news of Germany leading a second bailout for Greece. Overseas strength continued into the U.S. session with markets opening higher by more than 1.0%. Shares were knocked off their opening levels after disappointing Chicago PMI, and Consumer Confidence numbers were released, but rallied to their best levels in the final 30 minutes of trading.

Energy stocks were among the early leaders, but struggled over the course of the session before rallying into the close. As a whole, the S&P 500 Energy Index gained 1.0% to finish on pace with the broader market. Massey Energy (MEE 65.98, +1.96) was one of the best performing stocks in the space all session long.

Financials also saw a quick start, and finished on par with the S&P 500. Franklin Resources (BEN 129.60, +2.84) outperformed the sector after receiving a broker upgrade. Goldman Sachs (GS 140.66, +2.07) was one of the best performing stocks in the sector early on after receiving a buy recommendation, but faded as the day wore on. Shares of American International Group (AIG 28.50, -0.38) continue to underperform following last week's re-IPO.

Conglomerate Siemens (SI 133.85, +5.66) added 4.4% after Germany announced it would cease the use of all nuclear energy by 2022. The company saw gains because the news was beneficial to its wind turbine business. Alternative energy names such as First Solar (FSLR 124.25, +2.88) also traded higher.

Industrials were among the best performing sectors today thanks in part to a 4.2% gain by General Dynamics (GD 74.24, +2.98). The stock saw gains in pre-market trade after receiving a broker upgrade, and then moved to its best levels of the day after the company announced it had won a $744 mln contract to build landing strips for the U.S. Navy. An option can increase the contract value to $1.3 billion.

Treasuries spent the overnight session holding small losses, but turned positive following the disappointing S&P/Case Shiller 20-city Index reading, and continued moving higher after poor Chicago PMI and Consumer Confidence numbers. Buying pushed the 10-yr yield to 3.04%, its lowest level since early December while the 2-10-yr spread tightened to almost 258.

The dollar index spent the entire session in negative territory, trading in a tight range between 74.60 and 74.70 for most of the day. After hitting a session high of 1.4424 the euro will end the day with a gain of close to 100 pips at 1.4390. Dollar/yen saw some heavy selling off this morning's highs, but regained most of the sell off, ending higher by 55 pips near 81.50.

Weakness in the dollar, underpinned by reports of a new bailout plan for Greece, supported select commodities today. July crude oil surged for 2.1% to close at $102.70 per barrel. Also helping crude oil higher was news that the Keystone pipeline, which carries crude oil from Alberta, Canada to Cushing, Oklahoma, was shut in due to a broken pipe fitting at a Kansas pump station July natural gas finished higher by 2.6% to $4.65 per MMBtu. Warm weather across the country supported today's rally.

Despite sizeable weakness in the dollar today, August gold, which settled lower by 0.1% to $1535.60 per ounce, prices ended in negative territory. Gold sold off from session highs, at $1541.90 in mid-morning trade and was never able to recover. Jul silver ended up 1.1% to $38.29 per ounce. It sold off, like gold, heading into afternoon trade. It was able to, however, retrace most of that sell off to finish in positive territory.

Economic data is heavy tomorrow with the MBA Mortgage Index (7 a.m. ET), Challenger Job Cuts (7:30 a.m. ET), ADP Employment Change (8:15 a.m. ET), ISM Index (10 a.m. ET), Construction Spending (10 a.m. ET), and Auto/Truck Sales (3 p.m. ET).DJ30 +128.21 NASDAQ +38.44 SP500 +14.10 NASDAQ Adv/Vol/Dec 1817/1.79 bln/785 NYSE Adv/Vol/Dec 2269/698.7 mln/755