Investors in US stocks have viewed the recent decline in the dollar as a green light to buy into large companies with international exposure.

MasterCard, for example, is a company with large overseas operations that has boosted its recent earnings amid a weaker dollar. Its first-quarter profit soared 70 per cent compared with a year ago, partly because of the stronger euro against the dollar. Its shares have risen 16.7 per cent since the earnings news on Wednesday.