US stocks edged up today, with the S&P 500 less than 3 points away from the 1,700 level, helped by solid earnings from blue-chips DuPont and United Tech and by China’s efforts to avoid a hard landing for its slowing economy.
The Dow Jones industrial average was up 44.08 points, or 0.28 percent, at 15,589.63. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was up 1.80 points, or 0.11 percent, at 1,697.33. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 3.23 points, or 0.09 percent, at 3,603.62.
European shares rose to seven-week highs today as China’s plan to support growth boosted mining shares and a flurry of deal activity sparked a rally in the telecoms sector.
Spanish banks also climbed, benefiting from rising risk appetite and they extended gains after demand for a short-term Spanish bond sale came in at the top end of forecasts and 10-year Spanish yields fell to five-week lows.
BBVA was up 3.8 percent and Banco Santander was 2.3 percent higher. At 1035 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was up 0.3 percent at 1,213.78 points, a level not seen since early June.
Source: Buenos Aires Herald