chip Dow Jones industrial average was 0.6 percent higher at 10,128.2 points, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.7 percent to 1,925.8 points by 1616 GMT. Around Europe, London's FTSE 100 closed 0.6 percent higher, while Paris's CAC-40 ended up 0.3 percent. In Zurich, the SMI rose 0.9 percent and Frankfurt's DAX ended 0.1 percent firmer. BASF, SKF RISE Among European blue-chips, German chemicals company BASF closed up 2.1 percent at 52.18 euros, driven by its plans to buy back shares worth 1.5 billion euros ($1.95 billion) this year, starting in April. Sweden's SKF the world's top roller-bearings maker, rose 1.9 percent to 326.5 crowns after posting first-quarter pretax earnings above expectations. Austrian-listed online betting company BETandWIN was a top performer among smaller stocks, jumping more than 10 percent and closing at a record high after forecasting sales will at least double this year.
