World stock markets gained Thursday after news of efforts to support struggling European economies and the major banks exposed to the debts of troubled nations.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained nearly seven-tenths of one percent in early trading. The broader S&P 500 index gained six-tenths of a percent, and the NASDAQ gained four-tenths.

The most significant gains were in Europe, where London's Financial Times index was two and a quarter percent higher, and the CAC-40 in Paris and DAX index in Frankfurt each gained more than three and a half percent.

Earlier in Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei index gained just over one and three-quarters percent to finish at 8,669.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose nearly three-quarters of one percent to finish the day's trading at 19,181.

Gold is trading at $1,803.13 an ounce.

The dollar is mixed in trading against other major currencies.