U.S. market indexes made tentative gains Tuesday following upturns in Asia and Europe.
Markets posted gains despite weak economic data on European service businesses.
Researchers at Markit reported the Purchasing Managers Index for services in the 17-member eurozone hit a three-year low in May, coming in at 46.7 with numbers below 50 indicating a contraction.
Investors are also keeping an eye on Europe's financial crisis. German Chancellor Angela Merkel signaled a willingness do discuss integrating debt in Europe with a long-term payback plan.
In early afternoon trading on Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average added 7.53 points, or 0.06 percent, to 12,108.99. The Standard & Poor's 500 gained 3.09 points, or 0.24 percent, to 1,281.27. The Nasdaq Composite added 4.99 points, or 0.18 percent, to 2,765.
The benchmark 10-year treasury note fell 5/32 to yield 1.543 percent.
The euro fell to $1.244 from Monday's $1.25. Against the yen, the dollar hit 78.71 from 78.35 yen.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index added 1.04 percent, 86.37 points, to 8,382.
