Indeed, the recent runup in Japanese stocks and interest rates have gone hand in hand, suggesting that what we've been seeing is basically rising optimism.
We may, in fact, begin to see this rising optimism.
Separately, a barometer of German business sentiment rose more than expected, raising optimism that the euro zone's biggest economy is growing again after declining 0.2 percent in the last quarter of 2011.
Brokerage firms rose on optimism that a buoyant stock market would lift the business of underwriting convertible securities and initial stock sales.
Shares in Citigroup and Bank of America, which both recently received a second taxpayer lifeline, surged 19percent and 144 percent respectively as the stock market rose on optimism that the administration would relieve banks of money-losing assets.
The youngsters give rise to optimism that the Chiefs could establish themselves as a top-four force but the importance of the older heads cannot be underestimated.
The stock market rose last week on optimism that the economy would grow without setting off serious inflation.
Even after a strong performance last week, in which the S.& P 500 rose 4.8 percent, the underlying economic optimism that spurred the stunning rally last year seems to be subsiding.
