Global stocks rallied on Tuesday after a surge in China's copper imports and an optimistic forecast from US aluminum maker Alcoa.
A well-received Greek debt auction and news that ratings agency Fitch is unlikely to downgrade France in 2012 helped support the euro.
US stocks hit a five-month high, led by materials stocks, a pan-European stock index recorded its highest close in a week and Asian shares also rose.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 69.78 points (0.56%) at 12,462.47.
The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 11.38 points (0.89%) at 1,292.08.
The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 25.94 points (0.97%) at 2,702.50.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 stocks index closed up 1.8 percent at 1,027.23 points.
