A roundup of trading on major world markets:
NEW YORK – US stocks leapt two per cent on Friday sparked by the dramatic measures adopted in Brussels to stem the eurozone crisis and stimulate growth, giving the markets a strong end to a rocky first half.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 277.83 points (2.20 per cent) at 12,880.09.
The S&P 500 index gained 33.12 points (2.49 per cent) to 1,362.16, while the tech-rich Nasdaq rose 85.56 (3.00 per cent) to 2,935.05.
That gave all three solid gains for the first half of the year, after having been near break-even at the beginning of June.
The Dow was up 5.4 per cent for the six months, the S&P 8.3 per cent, and the Nasdaq 12.7 per cent.
LONDON – European stock markets surged and the euro jumped against the US dollar after a key EU summit delivered surprise emergency measures to fight the eurozone debt crisis.
In Frankfurt the DAX 30 rose 4.33 percent to 6,416.28 points and Paris’ CAC 40 soared 4.75 percent to 3,196.65 points. Milan rocketed up by 6.59 percent, Madrid by 5.66 percent and Athens by 5.68 percent.
London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index ended the day up 1.42 percent at 5,571.15 points, with a series of banking scandals tempering enthusiasm.
In foreign exchange deals meanwhile, the euro soared to $1.2675 from $1.2442 late in New York on Thursday.
HONG KONG – Asian markets surged after European Union leaders struck a surprise deal to allow the bloc’s bailout fund to directly support struggling banks and pledged $US150 billion ($A149.87 billion) to boost growth.
Tokyo closed 1.5 per cent, or 132.67 points, higher at 9006.78, and Hong Kong 2.19 per cent, or 416.19 points, up at 19,441.46.
Seoul finished up by 1.91 per cent, or 34.83 points, at 1854.01, while Sydney ended up 1.23 per cent, or 49.8 points, at 4094.6. Shanghai closed 1.35 per cent, or 29.59 points, higher at 2225.43.
WELLINGTON – The NZX 50 fell 1.5 points, or 0.04 per cent, to 3399.83.
