Among large non-manufacturers, the index reached its highest level in 15 years.
On Wednesday, stocks were boosted by the much better numbers from the ISM on manufacturing, as the index hit its highest level in eight months.
The cereal index, which hit its highest level since 2008, was the focus of the report, as the FAO estimated that a tightening market on the back of a weak year for cereal production in 2010 will put additional pressure on prices.
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In other overnight news, the German ZEW economic expectations index rose in March to its highest level in three years.
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The manufacturing sector grew at its fastest pace since June 2011 in February, according to the Institute of Supply Management's manufacturing purchasing managers' index, while U.S. consumer confidence was at its highest level since November, according to Thomson-Reuters and University of Michigan's consumer-sentiment index.
And the influencers you'll see each week on our NY Index are playing the game at the highest level.
The latest reading of the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index shows consumer confidence is at its highest level since 2007.
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Hitting 67.7, consumer sentiment has been on the rise and reached its highest level in six months on Friday, the index showed.
The Stoxx Europe 600 index slipped 0.3%, a hair below its highest level since June 2008.
Economists stressed domestic factors alone would be sufficient to push the index lower as unemployment hit 9% in August, its highest level for nine months.
It was also reported this week that Factory Orders rose 1.8% in November, which no doubt contributed to the report that the ISM Mfg Index rose again in December, to 53.9, its highest level in six months.
Today its index added 0.4% to 75.04 and is honing in on the highest level in two weeks at 75.38.
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The BCM confidence index is 12, up from -9.3 in the last quarter and the highest level since the second quarter of 2011.
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