Greece keeps on bearing gifts to Wall Street.
Stocks rallied here for the third straight day after European officials pledged a bailout to prevent Greece’s debt-wracked economy from tipping into default, reassuring investors worried about a global economic relapse over weak European nations.
The Dow Jones industrial average gained 105.81 to 10,144.19, up 1.1 percent, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 1.1 percent to 1,078.47, up 10.34. The Nasdaq gained 29.54, or 1.38 percent, to 2,177.41.
Analysts said blue chips also got a boost from a generous $12 billion stock buyback offer by Philip Morris International, along with the merger of two utility companies.
Philip Morris jumped 4 percent to $48.67 on its buyback plan. FirstEnergy’s deal to buy Allegheny Energy for $4.7 billion sent Allegheny 12 percent higher to $23.55.
Some investors were additionally encouraged by a government report that said initial jobless claims dropped by 43,000 in the week ended Feb. 6 to 440,000, the lowest level in five weeks. The White House, meanwhile, said it expected jobs to grow by about 95,000 a month this year.
Still, many analysts believe that Greece’s brush with disaster has put a distinct chill on efforts to restart Wall Street’s 10-month-long stock rally. Lack of details on the bailout pledges kept the euro down against major currencies.
“What has really stood out is how negative sentiment has gotten and how quickly it got there [due to Greece],” said Max Bublitz, chief strategist at SCM Advisors. “To me, it suggests a pretty skittish market.”
Bond prices weakened and oil inched 76 cents higher per barrel to $75.28. paul.tharp@nypost.com

