World markets gain on recovery hopes

BANGKOK -- World stock markets rose today, spurred by another batch of optimistic quarterly reports from major companies in the U.S. and Asia even as worries remained that this year's rally has overshot reality.

The broad advance followed an overnight rise on Wall Street, where investors were heartened by stronger profits and upbeat outlooks from companies seen as bellwethers of consumer demand in an economy emerging from recession.

The string of encouraging quarterly results continued in Asia, with South Korean auto maker Kia Motors Corp. and chip maker Hynix Semiconductor Inc. reporting higher profits that suggested global demand was turning for the better.

Oil prices, meanwhile, held near $81 on hopes the global economic recovery is gathering pace. The dollar rose modestly against the yen and the euro in the aftermath of a weekslong drop.

As trading got underway in Europe, benchmarks in Germany, France and Britain were up 1 percent or more. Stock futures pointed to muted gains today on Wall Street. Dow futures were up 4 points at 10,042.

Earlier in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average gained 15.82, or 0.2 percent, to 10,282.99 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng jumped 379.21, or 1.7 percent, to 22,589.73. South Korea's Kospi advanced 0.6 percent to 1,640.17, while China's Shanghai index climbed 1.9 percent.

Global stock markets have rocketed higher since March, lifting benchmarks in the U.S. and Asia to new yearly highs in recent weeks, amid a weakening dollar and massive liquidity.

But there are fears markets may have overestimated the strength of recovery. The possibility governments will start withdrawing lavish monetary and fiscal stimulus could also lead investors to rethink the strength of the rally.

Elsewhere in Asia, Australia's index gained 1 percent, Taiwanese shares rose 0.5 percent and Indonesia's benchmark climbed 1.3 percent.

On Wall Street yesterday, the Dow rose 131.95, or 1.3 percent, to 10,081.31. The index is 11 points below its highest close of the year, which it reached on Monday.

The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 11.51, or 1.1 percent, to 1,092.91. The Nasdaq rose 14.56, or 0.7 percent, to 2,165.29.

In oil, benchmark crude for December delivery was down 11 cents to $81.08 a barrel. The contract rose 18 cents to settle at $81.19 yesterday.

Among currencies, the dollar rose to 91.87 yen from 91.31 yen. The euro fell to $1.5012 from $1.5020.

-- The Associated Press