Google on Thursday began adding background photos to its home page, a dramatic — albeit temporary — change for a site that has long prided itself on its classic, minimalist look. But the change seems to be causing consternation among Google users, who boosted the phrase “remove Google background” to near the top of Google’s Hot Searches list.

Google last week began allowing users to add full-screen images to main Google search page. On Wednesday evening, the company announced it has collaborated with artists to create a gallery of background images and that it would by default place these on the home page with a white Google logo over the next 24 hours. The pictures include landscape photos from National Geographic as well as artworks by sculptors and others, much the same way that Microsoft’s Bing search engine features a colorful photo each day.

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--U.S. stocks climbed broadly Wednesday as a forecast for economic growth from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and a report of surging Chinese exports boosted sentiment.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was recently up 115 points, or 1.2%, to 10055, having broken above 10000 for the first time this week. Caterpillar led the Dow's gains with a jump of 3.4% after the industrial giant's board authorized a 2 cent, or 4.8%, increase to its quarterly dividend payment.

Caterpillar also benefited from investors' increased comfort with stocks with international exposures, as did Alcoa, which climbed 2.9%, and Boeing, which advanced 2.7%.

Multinationals have been hit hard in recent weeks on investors' concerns about the potential impact of Europe's fragile economy and China's efforts to slow its growth.