Wall Street stocks have been boosted by a Commerce Department report that showed consumer spending jumped 0.5% in November.
The increase was lower than the revised 0.6% rise in October.
According to revised figures issued on Tuesday, the US economy grew by 2.2% pace in the third quarter.
The Dow Jones Index was up 10 points on Wednesday, or 0.01%, to 10,475.
The Nasdaq Composite was up 17 points, or 0.8 percent, to 2270.
Earlier in Europe: the FTSE in London was up 44 points to 5372, the DAX in Frankfurt was up 12 points to 5957 and the CAC-40 in Paris was up 12 to 5957.
The Australian 200 Index closed up 35 points, or 0.75%, to 4739.
The NZX 50 closed on Wednesday up 30 points, or 0.95%, to 3210 on turnover of $54 million.
At 8.20am on Thursday, the New Zealand dollar was trading at 70.48 US cents, 80.11 Australian cents, 44.16 pence, 64.55 yen and 0.4914 euro. The Trade Weighted Index was at 64.61.
Brent crude oil was trading at $US74 40 per barrel. Gold was trading at $US1093.10 per ounce.
