Asian Markets Begin the Trading Week on the Rise

Global markets are beginning the trading week Monday with significant gains.

Britain's benchmark FTSE index is up 1.5% at the midday mark. The CAC-40 index in France is 2% higher, while Germany's DAX index has soared 2.8%

Europe's good numbers are following on the heels of Asia's solid gains earlier in the day.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei index closed up 1.3%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index is up 1%, Shanghai's Composite is down nearly two points, but is virtually unchanged percentage-wise. The S&P/ASX index in Australia lost 0.2%. The KOSPI index in South Korea finished 1.2% higher, while Taiwan's TSEC index ended 1.8% higher.

Mumbai's Sensex is up 1.5% in late afternoon trading.

In commodities, gold is trading at $1,863.80 an ounce, down 0.1%. U.S. crude is trading even at $40.27 per barrel, while Brent crude oil is also trading even at $41.94 per barrel.

All three major U.S. indices are trending upward in futures trading ahead of Wall Street's opening bell.