European stocks rose, led by semiconductor-related companies such as ARM Holdings Plc and ASM Lithography Holding NV after Intel Corp reported results that beat forecasts.
The Dow Jones Europe Stoxx 50 Index gained 66.94 points, or 1.6 percent, to 4,192.95, a six-week high. That left the index down 8 percent in 2001, though it's climbed 4.7 percent since the end of March, when it closed out its second-worst quarter.
ASML, the biggest maker of machines that print circuits onto computer chips, advanced 2.2 euros, or 8.5 percent, to 28.1.
Infineon Technologies AG, Siemens AG's chip unit, rose 2.94 euros, or 6.4 percent, to 49.24.
Three shares advanced for every one that declined in the 600-member Dow Jones Europe Stoxx Index, which added 5.03 points, or 1.5 percent, to 334.03.
Chip stocks also rose after Texas Instruments Inc said first-quarter profit before certain expenses beat analysts' forecasts and outlined plans to cut costs.
London: UK stocks rose. Sage Group Plc, Dimension Data Holdings Plc and ARM Holdings Plc advanced.
The UK's benchmark FTSE 100 Index rose 71 points, or 1.2 percent, to 5,832.1. The Techmark index gained 74.04 points, or 4 percent, to 1,911.13.
Texas Instruments rose as much as 7 percent in after-hours trading. Almost four stocks rose for every one that fell on the FTSE All-Share Index, which gained 30.97 points, or 1.1 percent, to 2,795.97.
Sage Plc, the UK's No. 1 maker of accounting software, added 26 pence, or 12 percent, to 252, after falling 6.9 percent yesterday. Didata, South Africa's biggest computer-services company, rose 28.5 pence, or 11 percent, to 287.5.
ARM, Europe's largest designer of microprocessors, gained 30.5 pence, or 10 percent, to 338.5. Misys Plc rose 35.5 pence, or 7.7 percent, to 499.5. Marconi Plc gained 28 pence, or 8.8 percent, to 348.
Paris: French stocks rose, led by STMicroelectronics NV. HighWave Optical Technologies SA also gained.
The benchmark CAC 40 index added 108.61 points, or 2 percent, to 5,449.59. Trading volume was about two-fifths of the six-month daily average. The broader SBF 120 index rose 69.53 points, or 1.9 percent, to 3,702.42 with three shares rising for every one falling.
ST gained 2.61 euros, or 6.4 percent, to 43.11. Europe's biggest semiconductor maker will report first-quarter earnings today. HighWave Optical, a French maker of optical components used for Internet connections, climbed 5.79 euros, or 14 percent, to 45.9, paring its loss this year to 68 percent.
Alcatel SA, Europe's fourth-largest phone-equipment maker added 2.85 euros, or 8.5 percent, to 36.42, paring its loss this year to 40 percent.
Frankfurt: German stocks rose. The benchmark DAX index of 30 companies rose 136.98 points, or 2.3 percent, to 6,072.56 points, reaching its highest intra-day level in more than one month. Twenty-seven stocks rose and three fell. Infineon and Siemens added 38 points to the index.
The German DAX Mid-Cap Index of 70 medium-sized companies rose 16.15 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,560.49. In the index, 36 shares rose, 20 fell, and 14 were unchanged.
The Neuer Markt Performance Index rose 69.21 points, or 4.3 percent, to 1,697.11 points, reversing yesterday's 3.2 percent decline.
RSS