U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday after solid manufacturing data from around the world.

Investors have been hoping that positive manufacturing data for China and Europe mean similar growth is happening in the U.S.

That view was bolstered as the Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing index indicated U.S. factories grew in January at the fastest pace in seven months, boosted by a rise in new orders. The trade group of purchasing managers said its manufacturing index rose last month to 54.1 from 53.1 in December. Readings above 50 indicate expansion.

In the first hour of trading, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 103 points, or 0.8 percent, to 12,736. The broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 10 points, or 0.8 percent, to 1,322. The Nasdaq composite rose 14 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,828.

Monthly hiring figures from private payroll agency ADP were so-so. ADP said private-sector employment rose by 170,000 from December to January. That was 10,000 fewer jobs than expected by analysts surveyed by FactSet. ADP also said November-to-December job growth was smaller than it previously thought — 292,000 instead of the initially reported 325,000.

Also Wednesday, Ford and Chrysler reported U.S. sales growth for January while General Motors Co. said its sales fell 6 percent. Ford Motor Co. said sales rose 7 percent on strong demand for small cars and SUVs. Chrysler’s January sales in the U.S. jumped 44 percent.

Figures released before U.S. markets opened showed that China’s manufacturing sector is growing steadily and Europe’s is performing better than forecast. That gave investors hope that U.S. manufacturing is headed the same direction as the world’s largest economy continues its recovery.

The focus on the U.S. will prove a welcome diversion for some traders from monitoring the daily developments in Europe’s debt crisis. There are signs that the crisis has eased, for now. EU leaders agreed this week to push ahead with a closer fiscal union and borrowing rates for Italy and Spain are down sharply from just a couple of months ago, suggesting increased investor confidence.

Much hinges on Greece, where the outlook also appeared brighter. Hopes were growing that a debt-reduction deal between the country and its private creditors will be concluded soon, alongside a second bailout from the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund.

In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was up 1.4 percent at 5,761 while Germany’s DAX rose 2 percent to 6,592. The CAC-40 in France was 1.5 percent higher at 3,348.

The sense of an easing in Europe’s debt woes helped stocks enjoy a stellar start to the year, with many markets recovering a large chunk of their late-2011 losses. Overall, U.S. shares had their best January in 15 years.

Earlier in Asia, stock markets lacked the same momentum seen in Europe.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 edged up less than 0.1 percent to close at 8,809.79 but Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended down 0.3 percent to 20,333.37. Mainland China’s main index in Shanghai also fell 1.2 percent to 2,268.08.

The improved mood over the global economy helped oil prices track higher — benchmark oil for March delivery gained 53 cents to $99 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

BEIJING – World markets rose Tuesday as traders watched for a possible deal to cut Greece’s debts and Japanese factory output rebounded.

Benchmark oil rose above $99 per barrel while the dollar fell against the euro and was unchanged against the yen.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.1 percent to 8,802.51 after data showed December industrial activity rose 4 percent over the previous month. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 1.1 percent to 20,383.3 and Seoul’s Kospi was up 0.8 percent at 1,955.79.

In Europe, France’s CAC-40 added 0.8 percent to 3,292.38, rebounding from a 1.6 percent loss Monday. Germany’s DAX gained 0.5 percent to 6,473.96, reversing a 1 percent decline a day earlier. Britain’s FTSE 100 rose 0.6 percent to 5,703.94.

Wall Street was also set to open higher, with Dow Jones industrial futures rising 0.4 percent at 12,649 and S&P 500 futures 0.4 percent higher at 1,313.80.

Traders watched Europe following reports Greece and its creditors were close to a deal to cut its debts. Also Monday, European leaders agreed on a new treaty meant to stop overspending and put an end to the region’s crippling debt woes.

“Everyone is watching the European summit and how the Greek debt crisis comes out,” said Jackson Wong at Tanrich Securities in Hong Kong. “The general atmosphere is to play a wait-and-see game.”

China’s benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.3 percent at 2,292.61 ahead of Wednesday’s release of a key manufacturing index. Investors are hoping for a loosening of credit curbs if it shows activity is slowing amid lackluster global demand.

India’s Sensex gained 1.5 percent to 17,109.30 while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.2 percent to 4,262.70. Benchmarks in Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia and India rose while Singapore and New Zealand fell.

European markets tumbled Monday on concerns Greece’s financial problems might not be solved even if creditors agree to cancel part of its debt.

Under a tentative agreement, investors holding 206 billion euros ($272 billion) in Greek bonds would exchange them for bonds with half the face value. The replacement bonds would have a longer maturity and pay a lower interest rate. When the bonds mature, Greece would have to pay its bondholders only 103 billion euros.

Wall Street fell in early trading but Asian investors were encouraged after the Dow Jones industrial average recovered most of its losses to close down just 0.1 percent. The Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 0.8 percent.

Borrowing costs for the most indebted European countries shot higher. The two-year interest rate for Portugal’s government debt jumped to 21 percent after trading around 14 percent last week.

Portugal may become the next country “where default is a real possibility,” said Martin Hennecke of Tyche Group in Hong Kong.

“The euro zone crisis is far from being fixed at all. Italy and Spain are effectively bankrupt as well,” Hennecke said. “For Asia, that means there is huge uncertainty in terms of export markets.”

The treaty agreed to Monday by all European Union governments except Britain and the Czech Republic includes strict debt brakes and is aimed at making it harder for violators to escape sanctions. The 17 countries in the eurozone hope the tighter rules will restore confidence in their joint currency.

Benchmark oil for March delivery gained 98 cents to $99.76 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 78 cents to end at $98.78 per barrel on the Nymex on Monday.

In currencies, the euro rose to $1.3207 from $1.3114 late Monday in New York. The dollar held steady at 76.25 yen.

BEIJING – Asian stocks were mostly higher Tuesday as traders watched for a possible deal to cut Greece’s debts and Japanese factory output rebounded.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.3 percent to 8,817.9 after data showed December industrial activity rose 4 percent over the previous month. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.7 percent to 20,303.9 and Seoul’s Kospi was up 0.8 percent at 1,955.2.

Traders watched Europe, a major export market, following reports Greece and its creditors were close to a deal to cut its debts. Also Monday, European leaders agreed on a new treaty meant to stop overspending and put an end to the region’s crippling debt woes.

“Everyone is watching the European summit and how the Greek debt crisis comes out,” said Jackson Wong at Tanrich Securities in Hong Kong. “The general atmosphere is to play a wait-and-see game.”

China’s benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was flat at 2,281.4 ahead of Wednesday’s release of a key manufacturing index. Investors are hoping for a loosening of credit curbs or other measures to boost growth if it shows activity is slowing amid lackluster global demand for Chinese goods.

Benchmarks in Taiwan and Indonesia rose while Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand fell.

European markets tumbled Monday on concerns Greece’s financial problems might not be solved even if creditors agree to cancel part of its debt.

Under a tentative agreement, investors holding 206 billion euros ($272 billion) in Greek bonds would exchange them for bonds with half the face value. The replacement bonds would have a longer maturity and pay a lower interest rate. When the bonds mature, Greece would have to pay its bondholders only 103 billion euros.

France’s CAC-40 shed 1.6 percent while Britain’s FTSE 100 and Germany’s DAX both lost 1 percent.

Wall Street fell in early trading but Asian investors were encouraged after the Dow Jones industrial average recovered most of its losses to close down just 0.1 percent. The Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 0.8 percent.

Borrowing costs for European countries with the heaviest debt burdens shot higher. The two-year interest rate for Portugal’s government debt jumped to 21 percent after trading around 14 percent last week.

Portugal may become the next country “where default is a real possibility,” said Martin Hennecke of Tyche Group in Hong Kong.

“The euro zone crisis is far from being fixed at all. Italy and Spain are effectively bankrupt as well,” Hennecke said. “For Asia, that means there is huge uncertainty in terms of export markets.”

The treaty agreed to Monday by all European Union governments except Britain and the Czech Republic includes strict debt brakes and is aimed at making it harder for violators to escape sanctions. The 17 countries in the eurozone hope the tighter rules will restore confidence in their joint currency.

The agreement comes as richer countries such as Germany are losing patience with giving Athens loans, saying the Greek government is not carrying out reforms and spending cuts fast enough. A German official proposed having an EU monitor oversee Greek spending but that idea was quickly rejected at Monday’s meeting in Brussels.

Benchmark oil for March delivery gained 37 cents to $99.39 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

In currencies, the euro rose to $1.319 from $1.3114 late Monday in New York. The dollar held steady at 76.25 yen.

BANGKOK – Asian stocks edged higher Friday, setting aside weaker-than-expected U.S. home sales amid hopes for an agreement on debt relief for Greece and stronger growth in the world’s No. 1 economy

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index rose 0.4 percent to 8,885.09. South Korea’s Kospi added 0.3 percent to 1,963.82 and Australia’s S&P ASX 200 gained 1 percent to 4,312.40. Benchmarks in Singapore and New Zealand also rose, while Indonesia fell.

Sentiment was positive ahead of the release of fourth-quarter gross domestic product figures by the U.S. Commerce Department later Friday. GDP measures the economy’s total output of goods and services.

Economists predict growth will strengthen to around 3 percent in the October-December quarter from about 2 percent in the third quarter. Analysts at Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong said the reading was expected to “look healthy.”

The resumption of talks on a crucial Greek debt relief deal also heartened traders. Greece and its bailout rescuers — other countries that use the euro and the International Monetary Fund — are asking private creditors to swap their Greek bonds for new ones with a lower value and interest rate.

The two sides have disagreed over what interest rate the new bonds should take and the hope is they will find a compromise shortly. The creditors’ representatives have said they aim to get a deal by Monday, when European leaders meet in Brussels.

In the U.S., stocks slipped Thursday after the government reported an unexpected drop in new home sales in December, capping the worst year for home sales since record-keeping began in 1963.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 0.2 percent at 12,734.63. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed down 0.6 percent at 1,318.43. The Nasdaq shed 0.5 percent to close at 2,805.28.

But there were some bright spots. Orders to factories for long-lasting manufactured goods increased in December for the second straight month, and a key measure of business investment rose solidly.

Caterpillar Inc., the world’s biggest heavy equipment maker, rose 2.1 percent, the most of the 30 companies in the Dow, after beating analysts’ estimates last quarter. The company expects to do the same this year as global demand remains high.

That helped Asian industry counterparts. Japan’s Komatsu Ltd. rose 2.3 percent. Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. rose 0.8 percent.

Benchmark oil for March delivery was up 29 cents to $99.99 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 30 cents to finish at $99.70 per barrel on the Nymex on Thursday.

In currencies, the euro was unchanged from $1.3104 late Thursday in New York. The dollar fell to 77.40 yen from 77.49 yen.

NEW HIGH: The Dow Jones industrial average closed at its highest level since May after the Federal Reserve said it would likely keep interest rates near zero until late 2014. It previously had promised to keep rates low through mid-2013.

BONDS RISE: Bond prices rose, sending their yields lower, because the Fed’s pledge indicated that inflation will remain low. Low inflation preserves the value of a bond owner’s fixed income.

NO CRYSTAL BALL: The market often reacts strongly to Fed policy. But analysts say that one-day response rarely predicts its direction over the medium term.

BANGKOK – Asian stocks rose Wednesday as investors stayed calm in the face of a possible debt default by Greece to search for good deals in technology shares boosted by stunning results from Apple Inc.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index rose 1 percent to 8,870.22. South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.8 percent at 1,964.72 and Australia’s S&P ASX 200 added 1 percent to 4,268.70. Benchmarks in Singapore and New Zealand rose, while shares in the Philippines fell.

Markets in Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan remained closed for Chinese New Year.

Japan’s powerhouse export sector got a lift from a moderation in the yen’s strength even as the country reported its first annual trade deficit since 1980. A strong yen, which hit multiple historic highs last year against the dollar, shrinks the value of overseas earnings when repatriated and makes Japanese products less competitive.

Honda Motor Corp. rose 3.3 percent. Mitsubishi Motor Corp. jumped 4.4 percent and Sony Corp. added 3.1 percent. Tire-maker Bridgestone Corp. added 3.4 percent.

Technology stocks were elevated after Apple Inc. reported earnings that sailed past analyst estimates. Apple said late Tuesday said it sold 37 million iPhones in the last three months of 2011, vastly exceeding estimates and propelling the company to record quarterly results.

That stellar performance reverberated throughout the global tech industry. South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc., which ranks No. 2 globally in flat screen televisions, jumped 4.1 percent. Hynix Semiconductor Inc., the world’s second-largest memory chip maker, added 2.2 percent.

Stan Shamu of IG Markets in Melbourne said in an email that the gains in Asia suggested “investors are now starting to pay less attention” to Greece, which is struggling to reach a deal with creditors to prevent a chaotic default on its massive debts. A default could trigger a financial crisis in Europe and likely beyond.

Greece is trying to get its creditors to swap Greek government bonds for new ones that have half the face value. Greece faces an important bond repayment deadline in March.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 33 points at 12,676 on Tuesday. The Standard & Poor’s 500 lost a point to close at 1,315. The Nasdaq added two points to close at 2,787.

Benchmark oil for March delivery rose 35 cents to $99.26 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 63 cents to end at $98.95 per barrel on the Nymex on Tuesday.

In currency trading, the euro rose to $1.3026 from $1.3021 late Tuesday in New York. The dollar rose to 77.91 yen from 77.73 yen.

BANGKOK – Asian stock markets mostly rose Tuesday, shrugging off tough negotiations between Greece and its creditors amid expectations a deal to cut the country’s debt mountain will ultimately be reached.

Trading in the region was subdued due to Chinese New Year holidays. Markets in Hong Kong, mainland China, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam are closed Tuesday.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock average was up 0.4 percent at 8,798.25 and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.3 percent to 4,237.20. Indonesia’s benchmark climbed 0.7 percent to 4,014.37. New Zealand’s index fell 0.5 percent to 3,278.00.

Hopes that Greece will reach a deal with private creditors on lowering its debt — despite a delay in talks between Athens and banks’ representatives — supported European markets on Monday and sent the euro up to three-week highs above $1.30.

The deal being thrashed out would see private creditors swapping their old Greek bonds for ones with a 50 percent lower face value. The new bonds would also have much longer maturities, pushing repayments decades into the future, and a much lower interest rate than Greece would currently have to pay on the market.

Issues over the interest rates on the bonds lie behind the delay. However, the Greek government and representatives for the private creditors insist that the talks have not broken down and that they are moving closer to a final deal.

French Finance Minister Francois Baroin said a deal “seems to be emerging” after meeting with his German counterpart Wolfgang Schaeuble ahead of the eurozone finance ministers’ meeting in Brussels on Monday.

An agreement is necessary if Greece is to get the next batch of bailout cash that would prevent a devastating debt default. Greece does not have enough money to cover a euro14.5 billion ($18.7 billion) bond repayment in March. A deal would allow the country to receive a second bailout package from other European governments and the IMF, and cut Greece’s debt from an estimated 160 percent of its annual economic output to 120 percent by 2020.

On Wall Street, the S&P 500 index eked out a tiny gain while traders kept an eye on talks in Europe to cut Greece’s crushing debt load and prevent a global financial crisis. Other indexes ended slightly lower.

Benchmark crude was up 1 cent at $99.59 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract jumped $1.25 to end Monday at $99.58 after Iran again threatened to block shipments of crude from the Persian Gulf. The latest threat followed a widely expected decision by the European Union to embargo imports of Iranian oil.

In currencies, the euro was down 0.2 percent at $1.2996 after jumping the day before. The dollar rose 0.1 percent to 77 yen.

EARNINGS: IBM and Microsoft drove the Dow Jones industrial average higher Friday after the tech giants reported stronger earnings than analysts expected.

TECH-POWERED: Microsoft rose 6 percent and IBM rose 4 percent. The Dow rose 96.50 points to close at 12,720.48. Without the huge gains in IBM and Microsoft, the Dow would have risen just 24 points. The three major stock indexes ended the week higher.

GOOGLED: Google lost 8.4 percent after its earnings per share fell a dollar short of analysts’ estimates. The misfire stemmed from an 8 percent drop in prices that the Internet search giant charges advertisers for each click.

NEW YORK – Another set of successful bond auctions in Europe and a decline in applications for unemployment benefits are pushing U.S. stock futures higher Thursday.

Dow futures are up 38 points to at 12,542. The broader Standard & Poor’s 500 futures rose 5 points to 1,307. The Nasdaq composite is up 10 points to 2,431.

The number of people seeking unemployment benefits plummeted last week to 352,000, the fewest since April 2008. The decline added to recent evidence that the job market is strengthening.

Solid earnings from Bank of America and Morgan Stanley bolstered the prevailing optimism. Bank of America returned to profit in the final three months of the year while Morgan Stanley narrowed its losses.

The gains in U.S. futures follow increases in European and Asian markets.

BANGKOK – Asian stock markets rose Wednesday as expectations that China will loosen its monetary policy to boost growth overcame nervousness sparked by mixed earnings reports from big U.S. banks.

Benchmark oil rose above $101 per barrel while the dollar fell against the euro and the yen.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index rose 1.4 percent to 8,579.80. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.3 percent to 19,685.87. South Korea’s Kospi was down 0.2 percent at 1,888.88 while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.2 percent at 4,223.60.

Benchmarks in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia rose while mainland China and Taiwan fell.

Investors cheered news out of China on Tuesday when the government said its economy slowed less dramatically in the fourth quarter than feared — but still enough of a slowdown to persuade investors that Beijing will pursue a pro-growth monetary policy, analysts said.

“People have been buying stocks in anticipation of a relaxation in monetary policy by the Chinese government,” said Derek Cheung, chief investment officer at Neutron INV Partners Ltd. in Hong Kong. “The market expects this around Chinese New Year. If China doesn’t loosen around the new year, the market may come under pressure.” The holiday begins Jan. 23.

China is one of the biggest importers and slower growth could have global repercussions if it cuts demand for iron ore, industrial components and other goods from Australia, Brazil, Southeast Asia and elsewhere.

It would also mean less demand for U.S. and European capital goods for Chinese factories and construction sites, and smaller profits for U.S. and European companies that do business here. The luxury goods industry would also feel a significant pinch, since China is just about the only growth market for those.

Commodities shares jumped on the growth data out of China. Australian miners Fortescue Metals Group jumped 5 percent and Rio Tinto Ltd. added 1.5 percent after both companies reported target-beating production figures Tuesday.

But some financial shares came under pressure on weak quarterly earnings from some U.S. banks, including Citigroup Inc., which said its fourth-quarter income fell 11 percent due in part to lower investment banking income and an accounting charge.

Australia & New Zealand Banking Group fell 1.1 percent and Hong Kong-listed Agricultural Bank of China also lost 1.1 percent.

South Korean high-tech shares also slumped. Samsung Electronics Co., the top global manufacturer of flat screen televisions, memory chips and liquid crystal displays, fell 0.9 percent. LG Electronics shed 1.8 percent, and Hynix Semiconductor was 1.2 percent lower.

European shares ended mostly higher Tuesday on the heels of short-term debt auctions by Spain, Greece and Europe’s bailout fund that drew strong investor demand, despite recent credit rating downgrades by Standard & Poor’s.

Many had feared the downgrades would prevent them from obtaining funds and worsen a sovereign debt crisis in Europe.

On Tuesday, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.5 percent to close at 12,482.07. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index gained 0.4 percent to 1,293.67. The Nasdaq composite index added 0.6 percent to 2,728.08.

Benchmark crude for February delivery was up 66 cents to $101.37 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract finished at $100.71 per barrel in New York on Tuesday.

In currency trading, the euro rose to $1.2779 from $1.2722 late Tuesday in New York. The dollar fell to 76.65 yen from 76.82 yen.