NEW YORK, Dec 1 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose sharply on Wednesday, giving the S&P 500 its best one-day percentage gain since Sept 1, as European officials' efforts to save the euro zone appeared to be near a critical point and data suggested the global economic recovery was steaming ahead.
Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 249.76 points, or 2.27 percent, to end unofficially at 11,255.78. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 25.52 points, or 2.16 percent, to finish unofficially at 1,206.07. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 51.20 points, or 2.05 percent, to close unofficially at 2,549.43. (Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Jan Paschal)