Commodities and cyclical stocks got a leg up from data showing that Chinese manufacturing is growing, but concerns over the future of Europe continued to cast a shadow over stock markets.
Britain's FTSE 100 edged 0.1 per cent higher, and France's CAC 40 and Germany's DAX dipped 0.3 per cent. Japan's Nikkei rose 1.9 per cent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index surged 4.1 per cent.
Dow stock futures gained just 2 points, trading at 11,759 about two hours before the U.S. stock market opened. S&P 500 futures dipped 0.7 point to 1,234.5.
Strong data from China drove miners higher in Europe. Hong Kong's China Enterprises index, the main index of Chinese companies listed in Hong Kong, climbed 6 per cent, helped by resources and materials. Data showed that China's vast manufacturing sector picked up in October, snapping a three-month contraction.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange jumped 4.1 per cent to $7,440.25 (U.S.) a tonne.Zinc rose nearly 5 per cent.
Gold gained $20.20, rising to $1,656.30 an ounce.
Oil traded 0.5 per cent higher at $87.83 a barrel.
The euro was weaker after European leaders neared an agreement on bank recapitalisation and on how to leverage the European Union's rescue fund, but differences remained over the losses that lenders to Greece would need to absorb. The single currency traded around $1.3840.
The Canadian dollar rose to 99.34 U.S. cents.