Global stocks higher ahead of US report on August employment

Global stocks are higher after soft U.S. jobs surveys fueled optimism that the Federal Reserve might feel less pressure to wind down stimulus

BEIJING -- Global stocks rose Thursday after soft U.S. jobs surveys fueled optimism the Federal Reserve might feel less pressure to wind down stimulus. Markets in Shanghai, Tokyo and Frankfurt rose while London opened little changed. Wall Street futures were higher after the benchmark S&P 500 index added 0.1% on Wednesday. The spread of the coronavirus’s delta variant and anti-disease measures have depressed hiring and consumer confidence. But that has reassured some investors that the Fed and other central banks might postpone plans to wind down easy credit and other stimulus that has supported stock prices.