Major US stock indices followed world markets higher after progress on new governments in Greece and Spain eased investor worries about the eurozone fiscal crises, dpa reported.
The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 112.92 points, or 0.96 per cent, to 11,893.86. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 10.6, or 0.86 per cent, to 1,239.7. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index added 3.5 points, or 0.13 per cent, to 2,625.15.
The US currency slipped against the euro to 73.52 euro cents from 73.83 euro cents on Wednesday. The dollar was off against the Japanese currency at 77.63 yen from 77.8 yen.