US shares echoed gains in stock markets worldwide on hopes that new stimulus plans in the US and other countries will revive global economic growth.

The Dow Jones index ended Monday up 299 points or 3.5% to 8,932, shrugging off Friday's grim unemployment data. The Nasdaq and S&P's 500 also gained.

In the UK, the FTSE 100 ended up 6.2%, while Germany's Dax added 7.6%, and France's Cac finished up 8.7%.Earlier in the day, stock markets around Asia also raced ahead.

"Despite bad US jobs data [announced on Friday], markets are gaining on a sense that they've hit the bottom and expectations for economic stimulus measures being put out by many governments," said Hiroake Osakabe at Chibagin Asset Management.

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