The price of gold in New York rose $5.70 an ounce, to $367.40, lifting gold shares broadly.
Investors were cheered by the results, lifting shares of DaimlerChrysler by $2.1875, or 4.4 percent, to $65.6875.
A late-week rally failed to lift shares enough to offset earlier declines, resulting in a week of modest losses for the stock market.
Gold prices, always sensitive to trouble, shot ahead more than $9 an ounce, to $394.10, lifting gold shares sharply.
A slight bounce back in the Tokyo market from its steep selloff the previous day also helped lift American shares.
Investors were pleased, lifting shares of Merck $5.875, to $69.625.
Falling oil prices lifted shares of companies whose businesses consume large amounts of fuel.
Many companies involved in alternative energy have missed out on the rally that has lifted shares of oil and gas companies.
But more positive signs from Washington late in the European trading day had lifted shares on London's stock market.
The lower interest rates, in addition to lifting shares, could jump-start Malaysia's stalled economy.
