UKX FTSE 100 Index

By Barbara Kollmeyer, MarketWatch

Greek equities climb as country emerges from bailout

European stocks joined a global march higher for stocks as investors grew optimistic ahead of a week that includes a major U.S.-China trade meeting and appearances by U.S. Federal Reserve officials.

Greece stocks were in the spotlight, climbing as the country emerged from a marathon bailout process.

Where are the major benchmarks trading?

The Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.6% to 383.37, after a bruising 1.2% decline last week, its third straight weekly fall. Recent losses have been pegged to concerns over Turkey's currency crisis and sluggish commodity prices.

Opinion: If turmoil spreads in Europe, expect heavy flows into U.S. stocks (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/if-turmoil-spreads-in-europe-expect-heavy-flows-into-us-stocks-2018-08-18)

Germany's DAX 30 , which last week suffered its third consecutive down week and the longest such stretch since February, was among the strongest regional indexes, up 1.1% to 12,350.07.

But Greece had those gains beat, with the ATHEX Composite Share Price Index up 1.6% to 720.28.

France's CAC 40 gained 0.7% to 5,382.74 and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 rose 0.6% to 7,603.50.

The euro fell against the dollar, changing hands at $1.1406, compared with $1.1438 late Friday in New York.

What's driving the market?

An eight-year-long Greece bailout drama officially came to an end on Monday, though investor worries in the region remain, given nagging worries about Italy's economic and political situation. The single-currency bloc will face a big test this autumn (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/as-the-greece-bailout-ends-worries-shift-to-italy-2018-08-20) when the new Italian government must present a budget.

Trade optimism lifted global equities, with U.S. stock futures pointing to near multimonth highs (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/stock-futures-inch-up-putting-indexes-near-records-2018-08-20) when markets open later. A report in The Wall Street Journal said negotiators on both sides are mapping out talks (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/stock-futures-inch-up-putting-indexes-near-records-2018-08-20) aimed at resolving major differences by November.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 20, 2018 05:58 ET (09:58 GMT)

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