Retailers lead market gains ahead of jobs data

US stocks ended near the session's highs, with investors favoring shares of retailers after encouraging chain-store sales raised confidence ahead of Friday's jobs report.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 20.29 points, or 0.17 percent, to 12,062.26. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 3.07 points, or 0.24 percent, to 1,307.10. The Nasdaq Composite Index added 4.32 points, or 0.16 percent, to 2,753.88.

European shares ended flat, after weak results from heavyweights Royal Dutch Shell and Santander were offset by data showing the US economic recovery was gathering pace.

The FTSEurofirst 300 closed flat at 1,162.57 points, after earlier being as low as 1,154.96.

Japan's Nikkei average edged lower after surging the day before, as worries over an escalation of violence in Egypt nudged investors towards safer assets.

The benchmark Nikkei ended down 0.3 percent, or 26.00 points, at 10,431.36. It had surged 1.8 percent a day earlier.

The broader Topix shed 0.2 percent to 927.57.