U.S. stock market indexes declined in Wednesday's early trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated two-tenths of one percent, while the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ both lost one-tenth of a percent.

European stock markets were higher in afternoon trading. London's Financial Times 100 index gained nine-tenths of one percent, the CAC-40 in Paris moved up 1.5 percent, and the DAX in Frankfurt rose 2.5 percent.

Earlier in Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei index lost 1.1 percent to finish at 8,640, wiping out gains made early in the day's trading. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 2.1 percent to finish the day's trading at 19,467.

The price of gold fell nearly $2 to trade at $1,826.53 an ounce.

The dollar was lower against the yen and the euro.