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World stock markets rise

19 February 2010 08:56 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA-Economics. Investors pushed stocks higher in Europe and the U.S. on continued optimism that the global economy was healing and corporate profits would improve, Bloomberg reports

The Dow Jones Stoxx 600 rose 0.6% to 249.14. In the U.K. the FTSE 100 increased 0.9%, Germanyâ€™s DAX was up 0.6% and Franceâ€™s CAC 40 also advanced 0.6%.

Western European companies that have reported earnings since January 11 have beaten analystsâ€™ forecasts for net income by an average of 2.5%, according to Bloomberg data.

In the U.S. in early afternoon trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.21%, the Standard & Poorâ€™s 500 Index was up 0.12% and the Nasdaq Composite Index had gained 0.11%.

There were some mixed reports in the U.S. with Hewlett-Packard Co increasing its sales forecast and two reports showing that the worldâ€™s biggest economy was expanding. The index of leading indicators rose for a 10th month in a row in January and the Fed Philly report showed manufacturing improved for a sixth month.

The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index, or VIX, which is known as Wall Streetâ€™s â€˜fear gaugeâ€™ fell 0.09% to 21.70.