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Major central banks around the globe took coordinated action Wednesday to ease the strains on the world's financial system, saying they would make it easier for banks to get dollars if they need them. Stock markets and the euro rose sharply on the move.

U.S. stock futures are back up near Wednesday's opening price this morning as investors continue to focus firmly on Italy. Yesterday the Dow dropped almost 400 points as Italian bond yields surged past the 7% mark that is seen as the point of no return. At a time when the country has a lot of debt to refinance, borrowing costs are seen as unsustainable.

Stock prices around the world rose on Monday after European leaders signaled a willingness to tackle the financial crisis brewing there.

Stocks got a lift Friday by news that the US economy generated more jobs than anticipated over the past three months, reinforcing hopes that the world's largest economy will not be sliding back into recession. The Labor Department reported that the U.S. added 103,000 jobs in September. That was above expectations for a 60,000 increase. It also revised up the previous two months' figures to show around 90,000 more jobs were created than previously thought.

Stocks rose on Thursday after the European Central Bank launched fresh liquidity measures to help banks weather the euro zone's debt crisis, easing one of the major concerns overhanging markets.

Signs that the nation's massive services sector continues to expand, albeit at a slower pace, helped push stocks into positive territory by midmorning on Wall Street Wednesday.

A topsy-turvy day on the markets ended with a dramatic surge that brought major stock indexes into the black for the first time in three days.

Stocks rose on Thursday after U.S. economic data came in stronger than forecast and Germany's lower house approved new powers for the euro zone's crisis fund.

Stocks rallied Monday as investors bet that European finance ministers would take action soon to prop up the region's unstable economies.

Bottom Line: Stocks rose in mid-morning trade on Wall Street Tuesday as investors grew more optimistic that the Federal Reserve would announce new moves to stimulate the economy.