American indexes ended Thursday sharply higher as investors focused on buying opportunities and a reassuring comments from China on European debt.

At the close, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 284.54 points, or 2.85 percent, to 10,258.99. The broader Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index rose 3.29 percent, or 35.11 points, to 1,103.06, and the technology heavy Nasdaq was up 3.73 percent, or 81.80 points, to 2,277.68. Prices of crude oil rose $2.99 to $74.50 a barrel.

(Source: NY Times)