US stocks closed unevenly and without a particular trend.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 20.03 points, or 0.20 percent, to 10,246.97. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index is dropped 0.07 points, or 0.01 percent, to 1,093.01. The Nasdaq Composite Index is lost 2.98 points, or 0.14 percent, to 2,151.08.

European shares closed lower today, snapping a four-day winning streak, weighed down by telecoms after disappointing results from Vodafone and mining stocks tracking weaker metal prices.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed down 0.2 percent at 1,010.23 points. The benchmark index has gained nearly 57 percent since reaching a record low in early March and is up 21 percent for the year.

Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.6 percent today as trading houses climbed after rises in commodities the day before, though a late rise by the yen against the dollar pared gains in many shares.

Advantest Corp and other chip-related shares rose after gains by their U.S. peers, while bank shares climbed after remarks by Japan's banking minister suggesting the government may not strictly enforce capital requirements for banks.