New York
Stock markets rose after German, UK and US economic data provided a brighter outlook for major economies worldwide.
London, Paris and Frankfurt extended a global rally heading into the weekend, buoyed by upbeat UK retail data and strong German business sentiment.
US stocks were helped by government data that showed no sign of rising inflation in February, soothing fears that the world’s biggest economy could overheat.
Both the Dow and S&P 500 closed the week out at all-time highs. Oil prices also bounded higher at the end of a rollercoaster week.
“Economic recovery optimism is boosting equity indices higher as we head towards the weekend.— AFP