U.S. stocks climbed early Tuesday, buoyed by retail sales growth and better-than-expected quarterly results from a key investment company.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 24 points at 10,828. The S & P 500 gained two points to reach 1,209, while the NASDAQ advanced five points at 2,057.
European share prices are higher in midday trading. London's Financial Times index, the CAC-40 in Paris, and the DAX index in Frankfurt all gained at least four-tenths of a percent.
Earlier in Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei Average lost 29 points to finish at 11,821. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index, fell 90 points to finish at 13,817.
The price of gold is up more than one dollar, trading at 442 dollars and 37 cents an ounce in New York.
The dollar is lower against the yen but up in value compared to the euro.
