The Dow Jones industrial average rose 41.87 points, to end at 10,236.16. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 5.33 points, to 1,097.50. The Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 17.68 points, to 2,221.41. The Nikkei climbed 162.21 points to 10,414.29 after earlier rising to 10,462.70. The Topix rose 0.7% to 914.32.

Yesterday, the US Federal Reserve kept interest rates at zero signaling that the economic recovery was gathering strength. Yesterday, Greek government bonds were crushed after the finance ministry denied a report that suggested it had hired Goldman Sachs to promote the sale of more than £20bn worth of Greek bonds to the Chinese.

Due for release today is the USD Core Durable Goods Orders m/m, USD Unemployment Claims, USD Fed Chairman Nomination Vote and NZD Building Consents m/m.

By Greg Secker