Wall Street stays afloat, as European shares edge down on Spain

Wall Street ended modestly higher on Wednesday on stronger-than-expected US labour and service-sector data, but the Dow industrials were hobbled by slide in Hewlett-Packard.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 12.25 points, or 0.09 percent, to 13,494.61 at the close. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index advanced 5.24 points, or 0.36 percent, to 1,450.99. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 15.19 points, or 0.49 percent, to close at 3,135.23.

European shares edged lower on concerns about Spain, the focal point of the regional debt crisis, and slowing global growth, with indexes keeping to recent tight trading ranges.

The FTSEurofirst closed down 1.05 points, or 0.1 percent, at 1,100.84 as the index remained locked in a 30-point range established in mid-September, when the European summer rally on the back of central bank stimulus came to a halt.