Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Tuesday.
Activity stayed thin as investors waited to hear the Federal Reserve chairman's semi-annual testimony before Congress on monetary policy and the economy, looking for clues on the strength of the recovery in the world's biggest economy and likely timing for an interest rate hike.
Danish drug maker H. Lundbeck was one of the standout movers, shooting 8.4 percent higher after US industry giant Merck agreed to licence its sleep disorder treatment.
The S&P/ASX 200 index ended down 0.8 points or 0.02 percent to 3286.3.
The All-share index closed at 10,926.27 points, up 40.47 or 0.37 percent.
The All Gold index closed at 2,517.01 points, up 12.68 or 0.51 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 7,240.59 points, up 34.95 or 0.49 percent.