A roundup of trading on major world markets:

NEW YORK – US stocks continued to power to new peaks with the S&P 500 closing above 1,800 for the first time and the Dow recording a fresh record.

The broad-based S&P 500 added 8.91 points (0.50 per cent) at 1,804.76, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average put on 54.78 (0.34 per cent) at 16,064.77.

The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index rose 22.49 (0.57 per cent) to 3,991.65.

LONDON – Europe’s major stock markets traded mixed, failing to get a major boost from a record performance on Wall Street and upbeat German data.

London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index dipped 0.11 per cent to 6,674.3 points, but Frankfurt’s DAX 30 added 0.25 per cent to 9,219.04 points, while the CAC 40 in Paris rose 0.58 per cent to 4,278.53 points.

Madrid gained 0.49 per cent but Milan slipped 0.10 per cent.

German business confidence rebounded in November to the highest level for more than 18 months.

Germany’s Ifo economic institute’s business climate index – a key measure of the mood in the industry and trade sectors of Europe’s biggest economy – rose to 109.3 points from 107.4 points in October.

The euro rose to $US1.3537 from $US1.3478 late in New York on Thursday.

HONG KONG – Asian markets mostly rose after the Dow closed above the 16,000 level for the first time on the back of a slew of upbeat economic data.

Tokyo rose 0.10 per cent, or 16.12 points, to 15,381.72, well off earlier highs as the yen made inroads against the dollar in the afternoon.

Sydney advanced 0.90 per cent, or 47.6 points, to 5,335.9 and Seoul added 0.62 per cent, or 12.45 points, to 2,006.23.

Hong Kong was 0.49 per cent higher, adding 115.99 points to 23,696.28.

Shanghai ended 0.43 per cent lower, slipping 9.39 points to 2,196.38 as profit-takers moved in after the index rose more than three per cent over the week when Beijing unveiled a blueprint for reforming the economy.

WELLINGTON – The NZX 50 fell 0.364 points, or 0.01 per cent, to 4818.003.