Global stock markets gain as US indices end at records again

Wall Street stocks have been on a roll since early December as Congress mobilized behind a US tax cut plan that President Donald Trump signed into law just before Christmas.

Investors appeared to waiver a bit on Monday with the Dow falling for the first time in 2018 ahead of key earnings reports later in the week, but bullish sentiment ruled the day again Tuesday.

"We are beginning to see the 'fear of missing out' mindset," said Sam Stovall, CFRA Research's chief investment strategist. "Investors are taking their money and throwing it at stocks."

Of the three major US indices, the Dow rose the most, boosted by banking shares and a 2.7 percent surge in Boeing, which reported record 2017 commercial plane deliveries and offered a positive outlook on the 2018 market.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq also rose, finishing at records for the sixth straight day.

Frankfurt's DAX 30 ended the session 0.1 percent higher, while the Paris CAC 40 jumped 0.7 percent -- as data showed eurozone unemployment falling to the lowest level for nine years in the single currency area.

The EU's official statistics agency said that the jobless rate in the single currency area fell to 8.7 percent in November from 8.8 percent in October, in line with analyst expectations.

Other equity markets to advance included London, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Despite the gains, Oanda analyst Craig Erlam said markets were entering "wait and see mode ahead of the start of the earnings season."

"Equity markets in the US are trading at record highs and with high expectations for earnings season already baked in, there may be an element of caution among investors who will be eagerly anticipating the first batch of results," he said.

Oil prices in London and New York finished at three-year highs ahead of a closely-anticipated weekly US oil inventory report Wednesday. Oil analysts are also watching for potential disruptions in supplies from Venezuela and Iran.

Key figures around 2140 GMT

New York - DOW: UP 0.4 percent at 25,385.80 (close)

New York - S&P 500: UP 0.1 percent at 2,751.29 (close)

New York - Nasdaq: DOWN 0.1 percent at 7,163.58 (close)

London - FTSE 100: UP 0.5 percent at 7,731.02 (close)

Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.1 percent at 13,385.59 (close)

Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.7 percent at 5,523.94 (close)

EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.2 percent at 3,623.00

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.6 percent at 23,849.99 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.4 percent at 31,011.41 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 3,413.90 (close)

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1937 from $1.1967

Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3539 from $1.3567

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 112.61 yen from 113.09 yen

Oil - Brent North Sea: UP $1.04 at $68.82 per barrel

Oil - West Texas Intermediate: UP $1.23 at $62.96 per barrel