-
Kenya's economy faces climate change risks: World Bank
-
Epstein offered ex-prince Andrew meeting with Russian woman: files
-
China factory activity loses steam in January
-
Melania Trump's atypical, divisive doc opens in theatres
-
Gold, silver prices tumble as investors soothed by Trump Fed pick
-
US Senate votes on funding deal - but shutdown still imminent
-
Trump expects Iran to seek deal to avoid US strikes
-
NASA delays Moon mission over frigid weather
-
Fela Kuti: first African to get Grammys Lifetime Achievement Award
-
Cubans queue for fuel as Trump issues oil ultimatum
-
France rescues over 6,000 UK-bound Channel migrants in 2025
-
Analysts say Kevin Warsh a safe choice for US Fed chair
-
Fela Kuti to be first African to get Grammys Lifetime Achievement Award
-
Gold, silver prices tumble as investors soothed by Trump's Fed pick
-
Social media fuels surge in UK men seeking testosterone jabs
-
Trump nominates former US Fed official as next central bank chief
-
Chad, France eye economic cooperation as they reset strained ties
-
Artist chains up thrashing robot dog to expose AI fears
-
Dutch watchdog launches Roblox probe over 'risks to children'
-
Cuddly Olympics mascot facing life or death struggle in the wild
-
UK schoolgirl game character Amelia co-opted by far-right
-
Panama court annuls Hong Kong firm's canal port concession
-
Asian stocks hit by fresh tech fears as gold retreats from peak
-
Apple earnings soar as China iPhone sales surge
-
With Trump administration watching, Canada oil hub faces separatist bid
-
What are the key challenges awaiting the new US Fed chair?
-
Moscow records heaviest snowfall in over 200 years
-
Polar bears bulk up despite melting Norwegian Arctic: study
-
Waymo gears up to launch robotaxis in London this year
-
French IT group Capgemini under fire over ICE links
-
Czechs wind up black coal mining in green energy switch
-
EU eyes migration clampdown with push on deportations, visas
-
Northern Mozambique: massive gas potential in an insurgency zone
-
Gold demand hits record high on Trump policy doubts: industry
-
UK drugs giant AstraZeneca announces $15 bn investment in China
-
Ghana moves to rewrite mining laws for bigger share of gold revenues
-
Russia's sanctioned oil firm Lukoil to sell foreign assets to Carlyle
-
Gold soars towards $5,600 as Trump rattles sabre over Iran
-
Deutsche Bank logs record profits, as new probe casts shadow
-
Vietnam and EU upgrade ties as EU chief visits Hanoi
-
Hongkongers snap up silver as gold becomes 'too expensive'
-
Gold soars past $5,500 as Trump sabre rattles over Iran
-
Samsung logs best-ever profit on AI chip demand
-
China's ambassador warns Australia on buyback of key port
-
As US tensions churn, new generation of protest singers meet the moment
-
Venezuelans eye economic revival with hoped-for oil resurgence
-
Samsung Electronics posts record profit on AI demand
-
Formerra to Supply Foster Medical Compounds in Europe
-
French Senate adopts bill to return colonial-era art
-
Tesla profits tumble on lower EV sales, AI spending surge
Stocks rally on hopes for end to US government shutdown
Stock markets posted strong gains Monday as investors cheered prospects that the US government shutdown could be nearing an end, after reports said lawmakers had reached a deal to break the record 40-day impasse.
The possibility of resuming operations in the world's biggest economy helped temper lingering worries about extended tech valuations amid talk of an AI bubble.
A group of Democrats in the Senate sided with Republicans in a procedural vote on the deal Sunday evening -- clearing the way for a formal debate -- after reaching a bipartisan agreement to fund operations through January.
"The more risk-on mood means it's pretty much a sea of green on the boards," said Neil Wilson, UK Investor Strategist at Saxo.
A government re-opening could also provide clarity on US inflation and on the soft labour market, which will determine whether the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates again as widely expected next month.
"If all goes well, some federal agencies could reopen as soon as Friday," said David Morrison, senior analyst at Trade Nation.
He noted that both investors and the Fed have been "flying blind since the beginning of October, with a near-complete absence of data".
"Fed Chair Jerome Powell has played down the prospect of another rate cut in December, as it is far from obvious that inflation has peaked," Morrison added.
But investors on Monday focused on the US government reopening, after growing increasingly concerned about the impact of severe disruptions of food benefits to low-income households, and of air travel heading into the Thanksgiving holiday.
"Shutdowns haven't typically had a big bearing on the economy or on financial markets. But, this one... looked as though it might start to cause some trouble," said analysts at Capital Economics.
Reports that drugmaker Pfizer won a bidding war for the biotech obesity specialist Metsera over the weekend with a $10 billion offer also bolstered investor optimism.
Wall Street opened higher across the board following turbulent losses last week on fears the AI investment boom might have pushed tech stocks to unsustainable highs.
European indices also rose sharply, following similar gains across Asia, with investors also taking heart from a further easing of China-US tensions.
Beijing on Monday said it would suspend for one year "special port fees" on US vessels, "simultaneously" with Washington's pause on levies targeting Chinese ships.
The dollar, which steadied versus the euro and the pound, rose against the yen, while oil prices gained slightly after losses last week over concerns of hefty supply amid uncertainty over global demand.
- Key figures at 1435 GMT -
New York - Dow: UP 0.5 percent at 47,218.72 points
New York - S&P 500: up 1.0 percent at 6,797.57
New York - Nasdaq: up 1.6 percent at 23,376.56
London - FTSE 100: UP 1.0 percent at 9,781.55
Paris - CAC 40: UP 1.4 percent at 8,063.78
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 1.8 percent at 23,983.70
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.3 percent at 50,911.76 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 1.6 percent at 26,649.06 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 4,018.60 (close)
Euro/dollar: FLAT at $1.1563 from $1.1563 on Friday
Pound/dollar: FLAT at $1.3162 from $1.3160
Dollar/yen: UP at 154.10 yen from 153.46 yen
Euro/pound: FLAT at 87.87 pence from 87.86 pence
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.6 percent at $63.99 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.6 percent at $60.11 per barrel
P.Petrenko--CPN