Asian stocks higher in early trade
The Associated Press, Tokyo | Fri, 04/30/2010 9:13 AM
Asian stock markets were broadly higher in early trade Friday, following rises on Wall Street and in Europe on hopes for a quick bailout of debt-ridden Greece and a positive jobs report in the U.S.
The Nikkei 225 stock average was up 1.5 percent to 11,087.96 in wide gains.
South Korea's Kospi rose 1.1 percent to 1,747.13, and Australia's main benchmark was up 0.6 percent.
In the U.S. on Thursday, the Dow Jones industrials were up strongly after a government report showed unemployment benefit claims fell last week.
Several major companies also reported earnings that beat analyst forecasts, including Motorola and Time Warner Cable.
The Dow was up 1.1 percent to 11,167.32, a second-straight session of gains after a plunge on Tuesday. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 rose 1.3 percent.
In Europe, shares gained Thursday on sentiment that Germany has accepted it must act quickly to pitch in on a Greek bailout package involving the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund. The deal would give Greece more time to get a handle on its massive debt problems.
In currencies, the dollar was unchanged from late Thursday in New York, trading at 94.07. The euro was up slightly to $1.3243 from $1.3241.
