Stocks on Wall Street have rallied to new highs on positive earnings and merger and acquisition activity.
Adobe Systems is up nearly 5% to after an upbeat forecast, while AIG also rose on plans by the United States government to sell a large part of its stake in the company.
The Dow Jones Index was up 49 points, to 11,527 - the highest in more than a year.
The Nasdaq Composite has also hit a one-year high, climbing 17 points, to 2666.
European markets also finished in the black, with the FTSE 100 index in London and the CAC-40 in Paris both closing 1% higher.
Across the Tasman, the Australian 200 Index closed up 35 points, at 4771.
The NZX 50 closed up 19 points, to 3319 on turnover of $77 million.
At 8.30am on Wednesday, the New Zealand dollar was trading at 74.20 US cents, 74.50 Australian cents, 48.05 pence, 62.28 yen and 0.56 70 euro. The Trade Weighted Index was at 67.27.
Brent crude oil was trading at $US93.65 per barrel and gold was trading at $US1385.40 per ounce.
