Equities climb on oil price rebound, stimulus hopes

Equities climb on oil price rebound, stimulus hopes

NEW YORK (Reuters) - World stock markets climbed on Thursday as investors weighed a rebound in oil prices and prospects for further government stimulus against stark economic data showing the toll of the coronavirus pandemic.. Major U.S. and European stock indexes were up more than 1% in midday trading in New York on news U.S. jobless claims fell to 4.4 million, a decline from 5.2 million the week before, but still about 200,000 more than expected.. The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 1.01% and MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe gained 1.18%.. Riskier emerging market stocks rose 0.62% and MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan closed 0.51% higher, while Japan's Nikkei rose 1.52%.. Reporting by David Randall and David Henry in New York; Editing by Bernadette Baum.