World stocks, oil rebound on economic data

Global equity markets and oil prices bounced back on Tuesday after data showed the vast US services sector extended a three-year expansion in January, while business activity in the eurozone showed signs of recovery.

Major US and European stock indexes rallied, with Wall Street gaining about 1 percent, after a sharp sell-off the previous session on renewed worries about the eurozone crisis.

A measure of world equity markets also was higher, though only slightly, because of a decline in emerging market shares.

US stocks recouped most of Tuesday's losses, fueled by strong fourth-quarter earnings and signs of improving economic growth that suggested the trend for equities remains higher.

"Yesterday was the first real down day of the year, which shows that we are in this strong bull market. Today we are back to the normal pattern. People are realizing that we've overreacted to Europe yesterday," said Uri Landesman, president of Platinum Partners in New York.

The Institute for Supply Management said its US services sector index eased slightly, to 55.2 last month from 55.7 in December. The reading was in line with economists' forecasts, according to a Reuters survey.

The day's data bolstered the view that the world economy was improving, a sentiment that has lifted stock markets around the globe and pushed the benchmark U.S. S&P 500 to a fresh five-year high on Tuesday.

In the biggest leveraged buyout since the financial crisis, Michael Dell reached a deal to take computer maker Dell Inc private for USD 24.4 billion. The move will allow the billionaire chief executive to try to revive the fortunes of his company without Wall Street scrutiny.

Corporate results also helped the rally. With 56 percent of S&P 500 companies reporting, 68.7 percent posted earnings that beat expectations, or better than the 65 percent rate over the past four quarters or the 62 percent pace since 1994.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 132.49 points, or 0.95 percent, at 14,012.57. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 19.06 points, or 1.27 percent, at 1,514.77. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 46.80 points, or 1.49 percent, at 3,177.97.

MSCI's all-country world equity index rose 0.45 percent to 355.59, while the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed up 0.3 percent at 1154.47.

U.S. Treasuries prices fell, spurred by Markit's Eurozone Composite PMI, which rose to a 10-month high of 48.6 from 47.2 in December - better than the preliminary reading of 48.2. The data is based on business activity across thousands of companies and is considered a good gauge of growth.

The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note was down 17/32 in price to yield 2.016 percent.

Brent crude oil rose 98 cents a barrel to USD 116.58, while US crude futures settled up 47 cents at USD 96.64.

"We do not envisage prices receding for any great length of time," said Carsten Fritsch, an analyst at Commerzbank. "The supply-side risks still prevailing, shrinking OPEC supplies and the brightening global economic outlook all suggest that such a retreat is unlikely."

The euro rose against the dollar and yen, returning to its months-long trend of appreciation, as better-than-expected euro zone data affirmed expectations that the European Central Bank will keep policy steady when it meets this week.

The euro, which had taken the brunt of the selling and fallen from a high of over USD 1.37 at the end of last week to under USD 1.35 on Monday, rose 0.5 percent to trade at USD 1.3584.