NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- U.S. stocks were poised to kick off the week with a rosy start Monday, as investors around the world took a more optimistic view of the economic outlook.
At 8 a.m. ET, Dow Jones industrial average (INDU), Nasdaq (COMP) and S&P 500 (SPX) futures were all more than 1% higher.
Futures measure current index values against perceived future performance.
Global markets have been unsteady in recent weeks amid worries about Europe's debt crisis and the prospect of a double-dip recession.
"We're coming out of a tough couple weeks. The double dip question that was on everyone's minds is starting to go away," said Anthony Conroy, head trader with BNY ConvergEx Group.
On Friday, U.S. stocks were headed for losses before turning higher in the afternoon. The late-session rally helped the blue-chip Dow post its first weekly gain in a month.
Economy: With no major economic reports on tap Monday, trading volume could be thin. But investors will have a slew of readings to take in later in the week, including reports on manufacturing, real estate and inflation.
Companies: President Obama wants BP (BP) to set up a fund for damages from the worsening oil. Obama is due to meet company executives on Wednesday.
World markets: European shares jumped in morning trading. Germany's DAX rose 1.1%, the CAC 40 in France rallied 1.5% and Britain's FTSE 100 gained 0.5%.
Asian markets also finished the session in positive territory. Japan's benchmark Nikkei index climbed 1.8%, and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong added 0.9%. The Shanghai Composite ended the session up 0.3%.
Dollar and commodities: Both the euro and British pound gained just over 1% on the dollar Monday, as European financial markets looked higher. Meanwhile, the dollar was up about 0.2% against the Japanese yen.
U.S. light crude oil for July delivery rose $1.61 to $75.39 a barrel.
COMEX gold's August contract fell $1.60 to $1,228.60 per ounce.
Bonds: Treasury prices fell, raising the 10-year note's yield to 3.28% from 3.22% the Friday before. Bond prices and yields move in opposite directions. 
| Overnight Avg Rate | Latest | Change | Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 yr fixed | 3.80% | 3.80% | |
| 15 yr fixed | 3.09% | 3.11% | |
| 5/1 ARM | 2.65% | 2.69% | |
| 30 yr refi | 3.77% | 3.86% | |
| 15 yr refi | 3.09% | 3.21% |
Today's featured rates:
| Index | Last | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dow | 12,454.83 | -74.92 | -0.60% |
| Nasdaq | 2,837.53 | -1.85 | -0.07% |
| S&P 500 | 1,317.82 | -2.86 | -0.22% |
| Treasuries | 1.74 | -0.01 | -0.80% |
| Company | Price | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America Corp... | 7.15 | 0.01 | 0.14% |
| Sprint Nextel Corp | 2.62 | 0.09 | 3.56% |
| Cisco Systems Inc | 16.33 | -0.06 | -0.37% |
| Chesapeake Energy Co... | 15.81 | 0.23 | 1.48% |
| Ford Motor Co | 10.60 | 0.01 | 0.09% |
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