Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Tuesday.
Vodafone shares shed 2.7 percent after the British cell phone giant said it expected some dilution of its earnings after it clinched Turkish operator Telsim for $4.55 billion.
There was support from German industrial group Siemens, up 2 percent after a ratings upgrade from Deutsche Bank, and Hilton, which gained 2.8 percent on the prospect of take-over activity in the hotel and leisure sectors. But investors' attention was once again focused on the macroeconomic picture amid continuing worries that steps by US and eurozone central banks to tighten monetary conditions might go a step too far and hurt economic growth.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of pan-European blue chips ended 0.12 percent higher at 1,266.75 points after trading within a range of less than 6 points for most of the session.