The S&P 500 and Dow industrials closed at record highs, a day after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke reasserted that monetary policy will remain accommodative for some time.
The Nasdaq ended at its highest close since October 2000.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 169.72 points or 1.11 percent, to 15,461.38, the S&P 500 gained 22.46 points or 1.36 percent, to 1,675.08 and the Nasdaq Composite added 57.55 points or 1.63 percent, to 3,578.3.
European shares hit a five-week high led by growth-sensitive stocks. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 touched 1,201.79, its highest level since early June.
The FTSEurofirst was up 0.6 percent at 1,196.96, with the Euro STOXX 50 up 0.9 percent, rising to 2,683.77 and back around pre-Fed meeting levels.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei share average rebounded in choppy trade even though the yen’s rally paused, while firmer Asian stocks boosted market sentiment.
The Nikkei rose 0.4 percent to 14,472.58, after opening 1.0 percent lower on the back of the yen’s surge against the dollar.
Source: Buenos Aires Herald