MINYANVILLE ORIGINAL US stocks were up sharply at the start of the holiday-shortened trading week on renewed optimism that a deal to avert the fiscal cliff could be brokered in time. Strong housing data also bolstered investors’ confidence. “Attention remains centered on the fiscal cliff " Michala Marcussen global head of economics at Societe Generale told The Street. "Recent developments give grounds for some cautious optimism but history suggests that politics can be notoriously fickle. Our base case remains that a temporary extension is voted before year-end with a final agreement in early 2013. This will lift uncertainty and ...