The credit markets continued showing signs of easing as the London interbank offered rate, or Libor, for three-month loans in U.S. dollars declined 36 basis points to 4.06 percent, the biggest drop in nine months.
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U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke is seen in the House Budget Committee hearing at Washinton, capital of the United States, Oct. 20, 2008 |
The New York-based Conference Board said its monthly forecast of future economic activity rose 0.3 percent, a much better reading than the 0.2 percent drop expected by economists.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 413.21, or 4.67 percent, to 9,265.43. The Standard & Poor's 500 index jumped 44.85, or 4.77 percent, to 985.40. The Nasdaq composite index rose 58.74, or 3.43 percent, to 1,770.03.
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Specialist works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, Oct. 20, 2008. Wall Street surged on a burst of optimism Monday, propelling the Dow Jones industrials up more than 400 points on more signs of a reviving credit market and comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. |