Watch Me TRADE's video: Live Day-Trading December 10 Weekly Video

U.S. stocks climbed Monday as Wall Street looked past political turmoil in Italy to hold out hopes for an agreement to avert automatic tax hikes and spending cuts in the United States. The developments in Europe are "getting a passing glance, just like Friday's job numbers," according to Art Hogan, market strategist at Lazard Capital Markets, who predicted U.S. economic reports in the days ahead would also be largely ignored, so long as the fiscal cliff remains in play. Monti's exit sends shock waves The resignation of Italy's technocrat prime minister, Mario Monti, has sent shock waves through financial markets. "All of that to an extent is going to be playing to an empty house until we get a substantive agreement out of Washington," he said. With the deadline to reach a deal 21 days away, President Barack Obama took his call for higher taxes on the wealthiest 2% to Detroit, where he'll speak Monday afternoon at an engine plant owned by Daimler AG. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA +0.21% climbed 20.99 points, or 0.2%, to 13,176.12, with technology companies led by Cisco Systems Inc. CSCO +2.43% pacing gains that included 17 of its 30 components. McDonald's Corp. MCD +1.40% rose 1.3% after the fast-food chain reported a 2.4% gain in global sales last month. See: McDonald's makes a comeback in November. The S&P 500 Index SPX +0.06% rose less than 1 point to 1,418.81, with materials advancing the most and telecommunications the heaviest weight among its 10 major sectors. "The narrow trading range of 1,386 to 1,433 on the S&P is still intact. A breakout to the upside on a 'cliff' deal could take the S&P back up to the early-year high at 1,474," assuming the rally lasts more than two days," Elliot Spar, market strategist at Stifel, Nicolaus & Co, wrote in emailed comments. "Then reality will set in: it's still an economy growing at 2% and higher taxes and lower government spending are drags on growth and not upside catalysts," Spar added. Top 10 tech trends to watch in 2013 Top 10 tech trends to watch in 2013 Will Apple hit a wall or break through it? Can Marissa Mayer save Yahoo? Will Facebook regain buzz on Wall Street? Here are the top trends in the tech sector to watch in 2013. The Nasdaq Composite Index COMP +0.23% added 6.61 points, or 0.2%, to 2,984.64. American International Group Inc. AIG -2.04% fell after the insurer pegged the cost of Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath at roughly $1.3 billion. Shares of Apple Inc. AAPL -0.59% declined 0.7% after Jefferies Group Inc. reduced its share-price outlook. Advancers remained a step ahead of decliners on the New York Stock Exchange, where 302 million shares traded by 2:15 p.m. Eastern. Composite volume approached 1.9 billion. Treasury prices mostly fell, with the yield on the 10-year note 10_YEAR -0.74% used in determining mortgage rates and other consumer loans lately at 1.623%. In the view of Dan Greenhaus, chief global strategist at BTIG LLC, Treasury yields will likely remain where they are given expectations of ongoing support from the Federal Reserve. With economic growth and inflation expectations also curbed, "we do not see yields sustainably breaching the 2.0% level in 2013," he said. The euro EURUSD +0.38% held a slight edge against the U.S. dollar and the price of oil reversed lower, with a barrel of crude CLF3 -0.36% lately off 35 cents to $85.58 a barrel. Obama and House Speaker John Boehner met Sunday at the White House to talk about how to avert the billions in tax hikes and spending cuts set to start in the new year. See: Obama-Boehner talks don't cheer analysts. Both sides declined to offer any details about the discussion, but issued duplicate statements, saying "the lines of communication remain open." President Barack Obama and Speaker of the House John Boehner. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated the U.S. economy would drop into a recession in the first half of the new year if a deal is not reached. "We're running out of daylight here; next Monday is probably the drop-dead date, the very next day Congress is in recess and then the president boards a plane for Hawaii. The market "continues to price in the ability for some type of resolution to happen before the end of the week," said Hogan. On Friday, the Dow industrials finished the week 129 points, or 1%, higher, with the index rising for a third straight week on the hope that White House and Republican congressional leaders would eventually reach an accord. European equities fell Monday after Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said he would step down after next year's budget is approved. The added uncertainty about the euro-area debt crisis pushed the country's borrowing costs highe