Major world stock indexes rose on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 supported by sharply higher U. S. bank shares after strong earnings, while the pound was up after British Prime Minister Theresa May’s government won a confidence vote in parliament.
NEW YORK (Reuters) — Major world stock indexes rose on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 supported by sharply higher U. S. bank shares after strong earnings, while the pound was up after British Prime Minister Theresa May’s government won a confidence vote in parliament.
That should allow her to attempt to create a consensus among lawmakers on an agreement on Britain’s departure from the European Union. The confidence vote followed the parliamentary defeat of May’s Brexit deal late Tuesday.
Expectations of a softer Brexit — perhaps incorporating the Labour Party’s idea of membership of a permanent customs union — gave some support to the pound.
Sterling GBP= was last trading at $1.
