NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rose on Tuesday as strong results from Home Depot <HD.N> helped markets rebound from recent weakness generated by fears about the year-end "fiscal cliff," which investors see as a threat to U.S. economic growth.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 66.58 points, or 0.52 percent, to 12,881.66. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 7.05 points, or 0.51 percent, to 1,387.08. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> gained 1.48 points, or 0.05 percent, to 2,905.74. (Reporting by Edward Krudy; Editing by James Dalgleish)