* U.S. share indexes up over 1.5 percent
* Top European stocks index up over 1 percent
* China numbers contrast with forecast-beating Germany
* Brent crude prices rise on euro zone grwoth , China crude
imports data
(Adds U.S. market open, changes byline, dateline; previous
LONDON)
By Sam Forgione
NEW YORK, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Stock markets worldwide rallied
on Tuesday on hopes of more stimulus measures in China and on
strong German trade data, while Brent crude oil prices also
rose.
China's imports shrank far more than expected in August,
falling for the 10th straight month, though exports fell less
than expected. ID:nL4N1182W1 Analysts said the imports data
could lead to further policy easing from the Chinese government
in coming months.
Those hopes boosted U.S. shares, while data showing Germany
saw imports and exports hit record highs in value terms in July
underpinned gains in European stocks. Germany's benchmark DAX
share index .GDAXI was last up nearly 2 percent.
A late bounce in Chinese stocks, which pushed the Shanghai
Composite Index .SSEC up 2.9 percent after earlier declines,
also also supported European shares.
"With volatility having receded somewhat during the past few
days it appears that investors have been reassessing the
potential negative fallout from the slowdown in China," said
Markus Huber, a senior analyst at Peregrine & Black.
Brent crude rose on data showing the euro zone's economy
grew faster than expected in the second quarter, with gross
domestic product up 1.5 percent year-on-year versus a previous
reading of 1.2 percent.
Brent prices were also helped by data showing China crude
oil imports rose 5.6 percent in August from a year earlier.
Brent crude LCOc1 was last up $1.01, or 2.12 percent, at
$48.64 a barrel. U.S. crude CLc1 , meanwhile, was down 68
cents, or 1.48 percent, at $45.37 per barrel.
MSCI's all-country world equity index .MIWD00000PUS , which
tracks shares in 45 nations, was last up 4.62 points or 1.2
percent, at 389.27.
The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI was last up 241.25
points, or 1.5 percent, to 16,343.63. The S&P 500 .SPX was up
27.04 points, or 1.41 percent, at 1,948.26. The Nasdaq Composite
.IXIC was up 76.20 points, or 1.63 percent, at 4,760.12.
Europe's FTSEurofirst 300 index .FTEU3 of top regional
shares was up 1.23 percent, at 1,416.55.
U.S. Treasury yields rose ahead of the U.S. Treasury's
scheduled sale of $24 billion in three-year notes later on
Tuesday. Benchmark 10-year notes US10YT=RR were last down
15/32 in price to yield 2.18 percent, from a yield of 2.13
percent late Friday. ID:nL1N11E0SB
The renewed risk appetite led the dollar to gain against the
safe-haven yen, but the greenback still inched lower against the
euro. The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a
basket of six major currencies, was last down 0.26 percent
.DXY .
"The market is trading more risk-on across the board," said
BNP Paribas (PARIS:BNPP) FX strategist Sam Lynton-Brown in London.
Gold firmed but remained close to 2-1/2 week lows as
uncertainty over the timing of the U.S interest rate hike
persisted. Spot gold prices XAU= rose $2.43 or 0.22 percent,
to $1,121.53 an ounce.