By EILEEN NG
People walk outside a securities firm in Tokyo, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. Asian stock markets bounced higher Thursday after prepared testimony for the confirmation hearing of incoming Federal Reserve chief suggested the U.S. central bank won’t reduce its economic stimulus until March next year or later. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 surged 2.5 percent to 14,929.58. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
China World Markets
A man walks past tree branches which partially covers a billboard which reads: “China Dream is My Dream,” in Beijing, China Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. Asian stock markets bounced higher Thursday after prepared testimony for the confirmation hearing of incoming Federal Reserve chief suggested the U.S. central bank won’t reduce its economic stimulus until March next year or later. China’s Shanghai Composite rose 0.5 percent to 2,097.38 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.9 percent to 22,660.44. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Japan World Markets
A man is reflected on the electronic board at a securities firm in Tokyo, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. Asian stock markets bounced higher Thursday after prepared testimony for the confirmation hearing of incoming Federal Reserve chief suggested the U.S. central bank won’t reduce its economic stimulus until March next year or later. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 surged 2.5 percent to 14,929.58. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — World stocks mostly rose Thursday after comments by the incoming Federal Reserve chief suggested the U.S. central bank won’t cut its economic stimulus until March or later. Gains in Europe, however, were capped by news the recovery there nearly ground to a halt.
Janet Yellen, who is slated to replace Ben Bernanke as Fed chairman at the end of January, will testify before the Senate banking committee later Thursday. Analysts said her published introductory remarks were a boost for stock markets that have been propelled higher since the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis by the Fed’s super-low interest rate and bond buying policies.
While there was progress in the U.S. recovery, Yellen said the labor market and economy are “performing far short of their potential.” She said unemployment was still too high and inflation still below target. She reiterated the world’s No. 1 economy must show continued signs of improvement before the Fed starts tapering off its $85 billion of monthly bond purchases.
“That statement alone has changed the landscape of trade today,” said Evan Lucas, market strategist with IG in Melbourne, Australia. It suggests the bond buying effort, which has kept commercial interest rates low to encourage borrowing and investment, will be kept in place at current levels until the end of the first quarter of next year, he said.
Analysts had previously thought the Fed would start reducing its stimulus in December or January.
Major European benchmarks rose in early trading, though momentum was dented by figures showing the eurozone economy grew a mere 0.1 percent in the third quarter, just three months after emerging from recession. The figure showed weakness in core economies, such as France and Germany, and only mild improvements in crisis-hit countries like Spain.
Germany’s DAX was up 0.6 percent to 9,109.13 while France’s CAC-40 rose the same rate to 4,263.61. Britain’s FTSE 100 gained 0.3 percent to 6,651.38.
U.S. markets lacked momentum on the open, having closed Wednesday at record highs. The Dow was down 0.1 percent at 15,804.20 while the S&P 500 edge up almost 0.1 percent to 1,782.98.
In Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 surged 2.1 percent to 14,876.41, also helped by renewed weakness in the yen as it approached 100 to the dollar.
China’s Shanghai Composite rose 0.6 percent to 2,100.51 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.8 percent to 22,649.15. Benchmarks in Australia, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore also rose.
In energy markets, benchmark crude for December delivery eased 65 cents to $93.27 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract gained 84 cents on Wednesday.
The euro dropped 0.3 percent $1.3439, while the dollar rose 0.8 percent to 100.03 yen.
