Stocks jump, dollar gains on Fed, ECB outlooks

By Herbert Lash LONDON (Reuters) - Global equity markets surged and the dollar hit a nine-year high on Thursday, lifted by the Federal Reserve's confidence in the U.S. economy and hopes of aggressive new stimulus in Europe. Stocks on Wall Street rose 1.8 percent and European stocks jumped nearly 3 percent as investors set aside fears from a few days ago that tumbling oil prices point to a global slowdown. Brent oil fell and U.S. crude traded flat, while prices for U.S. ...