A host of positive earnings reports sent US shares higher in early deals as traders reacted to the European Central Bank's (ECB) latest interest rate decision.
Online auction specialist eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY) was a big gainer, up almost 13% as its results was welcomed by the market.
The group raised profit forecasts for the year and posted better than expected quarterly profit.
It comes as the group celebrated its 20th birthday on September 3 this year and after it split its PayPal business into a separate company in July - a move, which prompted analyst concerns, as it was the faster growing side of the business.
The benchmark Dow Jones Industrial Index added 185 points to stand at 17,354, while the Nasdaq added 63 to 4,901. The broader-based S&P500 added 23 points to stand at 2,041.
Meanwhile, the ECB kept rates on 'hold' at 0.05% and did suggest that the door would be left open to decide on further money printing (quantitative easing) at its meeting in December.
December will be when ECB suggests growth projections and for inflation and it is already being billed as a crunch meet.
Elsewhere, burger bar behemoth McDonalds (NYSE:MCD) saw shares advance almost 7% to around US$109.40 the group posted earnings and revenue that beat estimates.
In the US, third quarter comparable sales increased 0.9%, the segment's first quarterly comparable sales increase in two years, the global group revealed.
The group, which has been trying to turn round fortunes, earned US$1.40 a share compared to US$1.09 a year ago. Revenue was $6.62 billion, down from $6.99 billion a year earlier.
Texas Instruments (NASDAQ:TXN) advanced to the highest level in six months after the chipmaker reported stronger-than-expected profit and revenue for its third quarter and provided upbeat guidance for the fourth quarter.
Shares gained 10% to $57.19, the highest intraday price since April 22, at 9:59 a.m. in New York.