NEW YORK: Global stocks climbed on Friday and were on track to post their best week since December, while the dollar rose after a Federal Reserve official said the central bank will have to tighten monetary policy soon.
US stocks advanced after strong earnings and an optimistic outlook by software maker Oracle fueled hopes that a global resurgence in technology spending remained intact. However, volume continued to be weak.
"When you see big names like these beat expectations like this, it's very encouraging," said Michael Vogelzang, president and chief investment officer at Boston Advisors, which owns Oracle stock.
"Oracle is taking share, which is great to see, but you don't post these numbers in a soft environment. The market is getting stronger."
US equities are leading global stocks and setting up to close their best week in at least 16, albeit on thin volume.
The MSCI All-Country index gained 0.1 percent and was on track to post its best week since at least early December.
Volume has dwindled in US and other equity markets as violence in the Middle East and northern Africa, coupled with Japan's natural disasters two weeks ago and its nuclear power crisis, obscure the outlook for the global economic recovery.
The Dow Jones industrial average gained 69.06 points, or 0.57 percent, to 12,239.62. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index added 6.84 points, or 0.52 percent, to 1,316.50. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 14.55 points, or 0.53 percent, to 2,750.97.
The dollar rallied after several top Federal Reserve officials said the US central bank is unlikely to extend its bond-buying stimulus program beyond a planned $600 billion.
Philadelphia Fed Bank President Charles Plosser also said the Fed will have to reverse its easy money policy in the "not-too-distant future" to avoid sowing the seeds of inflation, changing the outlook for benchmark interest rates.
The euro and yen hit session lows versus the greenback after Plosser's comments, adding to strength in the US currency after government data showed the world's largest economy grew more quickly than previously thought in last year's fourth quarter.
The dollar index, a gauge of the greenback against a basket of major currencies, jumped more than 0.7 percent.
The euro was last down 0.76 percent at $1.40698.
The yen traded at 81.41 from a session low of 81.49 per dollar.
European leaders reached an agreement on new anti-crisis measures at a summit but were forced to delay increasing their rescue fund and acknowledged they faced new threats from a government collapse in Portugal.
Portugal's president consulted political leaders on whether to call a snap election after the Socialist prime minister resigned following parliament's rejection of his reforms, aimed in part at preventing the need to request a bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund.
Portuguese bond yields hit new highs after Standard & Poor's downgraded the country's debt ratings and warned it could cut them again.
Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said he did not fear contagion from a potentially prolonged period of political instability in Portugal.
Spain is considered by the markets as another likely candidate to seek a bailout.
European shares closed slightly higher on stronger economic signs and corporate results, but the debt crisis kept gains in check.
US crude and Brent dipped for the day but posted weekly gains as investors eyed the unrest in Libya and the Middle East.
Spot gold lost nearly 2 percent as the dollar spiked following a brief rally to an all-time high $1,447.40 on Thursday.
Japan's Nikkei index rose 1.1 percent to post its best week since November as foreign investors scooped up battered shares. In the previous two weeks, the Nikkei had lost nearly 14 percent.
But US dollar-denominated Nikkei futures dropped more than 1 percent.
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