MINYANVILLE ORIGINAL The stock market registered modest gains in early Thursday trading powered by increasing optimism that the White House and Congress will be able to reach a deal to avert the fiscal cliff before the year’s end. However by midday stocks were struggling to hold on to gains.   “I’m still expecting a deal. On the tax side 98% of Americans will get to keep their Bush tax cuts on a permanent basis. Both sides of the partisan divide agree that this should happen. That’s actually a very big deal and very good for the economy ” said ...