European stock prices are higher in midday trading Wednesday.

London's Financial Times index is up 1.6 percent. The CAC-40 in Paris is up two percent, and the DAX index in Frankfurt is up two and one-half percent.

In New York, the S&P futures contract is up more than seven points, indicating a higher opening.

Tokyo's Nikkei index lost 1.1 percent to finish at 8,519.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained one-tenth of one percent to finish the day's trading at 19,045.

Gold is trading at $1,831.23 an ounce.

The dollar is trading higher against other major currencies.