Stocks are Encouraging Factory Data

Traders were greeted with a slew of global manufacturing data on the day. China's official factory gauge edged up very slightly in March from the month before. Still, a private survey still came in contraction territory. Another report showed the eurozone's factory sector grew in March from the month prior as the 18-member currency bloc's economy continues recovering. Activity in Germany and France -- the bloc's two biggest economies -- topped expectations.