U.S. stocks moved up early Friday after predictions of strong sales from Microsoft.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 51 points to reach 10,121. The S & P 500 advanced four points to hit 1147 and the NASDAQ was up eight points at 1913.
European share prices are higher in midday trading. London's Financial Times index, the CAC-40 in Paris, and the DAX index in Frankfurt all moved up three tenths of a percent or more.
Earlier in Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei market was closed today-Friday for a national holiday. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was unchanged at 13,909.
The price of gold is up almost five dollars, trading at 436 dollars and 28 cents an ounce in New York.
The dollar is lower against the yen and the euro in New York trading.
