Investing.com - Global stocks climbed on Wednesday as financial markets in Japan returned from holidays.
The Nikkei climbed 2.5% in its first trading day of the year.
European bourses struggled to push further into bull-market territory.
Germany’s DAX fell 0.29% while France’s CAC 40 dipped 0.12% and the U.K.’s FTSE 100 slid 0.08%.
One of the biggest movers in European markets was UK retailer Next as shares tumbled after a profit warning.
US futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street, priming the Dow Jones for another test of the 20,000-point milestone.