- Glencore offer for Xstrata drives markets.

Markets across Asia enjoyed strong gains on Thursday however a computer server error on the Tokyo Stock Exchange stopped trading on around 240 trades.

Dow Jones: +0.66% S & P 500: +0.89% NASDAQ: +1.22%

-Strong manufacturing data from the US, Europe and China.

Asian stock markets struggled get off the ground on Wednesday as upbeat Chinese manufacturing surveys failed to overshadow disappointing US data and a weak close on Wall Street.

- Stocks give up morning's gains - Exxon and Amazon underwhelm with fourth quarter updates - Consumer confidence takes a tumble

-Markets up after EU summit.

The Nikkei gained, for the first time in three sessions, as investors took heart from news that Greece is making progress with bondholders.

Financials under pressure from euro worries. EU leaders agree fiscal compact, ESM. Greek talks still ongoing. Portuguese yields surge.

-Unilateral French financial transactions tax.

The Nikkei fell on Monday, with exporters among the biggest decliners, after US growth figures came in weaker than expected.

Greek bondholders still locked in settlement talks. US GDP numbers send equities down. Italy's 10-year bond yields fall below 6%, Spain's under 5%.

Japan: -0.09%

- US home sales disappoint; home builders slide - Banks friendless after Fed commits to low interest rates for longer - Netflix surges on Citi upgrade

-Fed says interest rates to remain low until 2014.

The Hang Seng powered ahead on Thursday as markets in Hong Kong reopened following this week's Lunar New Year holiday.

In spite of a poor start, US stocks surged after the Federal Reserve announced that interest rates would stay low for some time yet. Meanwhile, Apple's impressive performance helped lift the Nasdaq Composite index stay in the blue all day, while the other benchmarks opened lower.