Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
Many investors also stuck to the sidelines before Thursday's flood of corporate results, hoping companies such as Alcatel, France Telecom, Siemens, Volkswagen, ABB or AstraZeneca will add to the overall positive earnings tone set so far. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares added 0.4 percent to close unofficially at 1,320.81 points, its highest closing level since July 10 but still some 6 percent away from a near five-year peak set in early May.