Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Tuesday.
EUROPE: European shares ended at the day's highest level, with oil stocks such as BP tracking crude's rise to a one-month high while Britain's biggest supermarket group Tesco added 3.5 percent after topping the most optimistic profit estimates. Markets are looking to the Federal Reserve's outlook on the US economy and a widely expected 25 basis points rise in interest rates which is due at 1815 GMT.
Gainers included Deutsche Bank, up 1.7 percent, while BNP Paribas advanced 1.0 percent after top US investment banks Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers reported higher-than-expected quarterly profits.
FRANKFURT: The DAX index ended at 3,991.02 points, up 13.34 or 0.34 percent.
PARIS: The CAC-40 index closed at 3,731.14 points, up 27.45 or 0.74 percent.
ZURICH: The Swiss market index closed at 5,602.7 points, up 54.2 or 0.98 percent.
MILAN: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 21,184 points, up 123 or 0.58 percent.
SYDNEY: Australian stocks recouped early losses to finish barely changed, with support from Coles Myer and other retailers letting the local market outperform a weaker Wall Street. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index inched up 0.7 point, or 0.02 percent, to close at 3,629.4.
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa's fixed line monopoly Telkom rebounded due to bargain hunting after weeks of losses, leading the market higher. The All-share index closed at 11,513.85 points, up 54.07 or 0.47 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,021.66 points, up 47.56 or 2.41 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 8,013.77 points, up 45.22 or 0.57 percent.