European stocks soar on brighter US fiscal prospects

European stock markets soared on Monday on rising prospects that the United States can avoid falling back into recession, while traders seemed to take an upcoming EU budget summit in stride. The rally also came a day ahead of a meeting of eurozone finance ministers that could unlock a critical instalment of bailout loans for Greece. At close, London's FTSE 100 index of leading companies soared 2.36 percent to 5,737.66 points, Frankfurt's DAX 30 rose by 2.49 percent to 7,123.84 points, while in Paris the CAC 40 shot up by 2.93 percent at 3,439.58 points. Milan's FTSE Mib jumped 3.05 percent and Madrid's Ibex 30 rose 2.31 percent. The euro climbed to $1.2812 from $1.2741 late in New York on Friday. On the London Bullion Market, gold prices rose to $1,730.50 an ounce from $1,713.50 Friday. "While the US 'fiscal cliff' motive has provided an explanation as to why the markets were falling for quite a while now, the progress on that front... is definitely improving the risk appetite" in Monday trading, said Gekko Global Markets trader Anita Paluch. US stocks also scored solid gains Monday. In midday trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1.23 percent, the S&P 500-stock index advanced 1.57 percent, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite leaped 1.73 percent. "Markets are looking to extend Friday's gains on hopes that progress will be made surrounding the fiscal cliff," said Wells Fargo Advisors analysts. "Investors are encouraged after President Obama said on his trip to Southeast Asia that he believes a budget deal will be reached." US President Barack Obama -- currently on a Southeast Asia visit -- has met congressional leaders from both parties to open talks on pulling back from the fiscal cliff of tax hikes and spending cuts, due to take effect on January 1. Fears around the world over the looming deadline have depressed markets for most of the month. The two sides stressed willingness to find common ground and avoid a face-off like that over the country's debt ceiling, which almost brought the country to a standstill in August. Growing optimism that the US can resolve the problem gave a boost to banking share prices on Monday. British lender Barclays won 6.64 percent to 249.75 pence, French bank Societe Generale rose 5.52 percent to 25.78 euros and Deutsche Bank advanced 4.68 percent to 33.66 euros. The appetite for risk came despite the European Union looking set for fresh trouble this week as an extraordinary summit called to agree a long-term trillion-euro budget heads for an ugly showdown, possibly even failure. Already weakened by three years of economic crisis, the 27-nation bloc of half a billion people faces new trauma at the two-day summit starting Thursday after weeks of talks that have exposed stark divisions between pro- and anti-austerity nations, as well as between the haves and have-nots. European leaders begin talks on the EU's next seven-year budget on Thursday, with British Prime Minister David Cameron in the role of leading spoiler -- though most governments are putting national interest well above shared concerns. Ahead of the summit, eurozone finance ministers tackle Greece's financial strains. Greek Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras on Monday said his country was "totally ready" for Tuesday's ministerial meeting. The immediate issue is approval of about 31 billion euros ($40 billion) in long-delayed aid funds after Greece adopted a tough new austerity package and 2013 budget, as required by its creditors -- the EU, IMF and the European Central Bank. The prospect for some sort of agreement on Greece "is undeniably boosting the market," economists from Credit Agricole said in a note to clients. On the sovereign debt market, benchmark bond rates were stable with debt-wracked Spain virtually unchanged at 5.876 percent and safe haven Germany inching up to 1.356 percent from 1.331 percent on Friday.