NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks have closed higher as investors responded to the latest twists in Europe's efforts to control its debt crisis.

U.S. indexes were down for much of the day on worries that Italy could become the next country to run into trouble. In Brussels, finance ministers worked with Greek officials to ensure that country got more emergency loans. Stocks turned higher in late trading.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 85 points, or 0.7 percent, to close at 12,068.

The S&P 500 rose 8 to 1,261. The Nasdaq rose 9, or 0.3 percent, to 2,695.

Rising stocks slightly outnumbered falling ones on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume was lighter than average at 3.4 billion shares.