Prices on major U.S. stock indexes dropped in early trading Tuesday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 index were each about three-tenths of a percent lower, and the NASDAQ composite index fell one-tenth of a percent.

European stock prices were lower in midday trading, with the main Financial Times index in London and the CAC-40 in Paris down nearly one percent. The DAX index in Frankfurt dropped six-tenths of one percent.

In Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei index gained nearly two percent to finish at 8,774.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index soared nearly two and one-half percent to finish the day's trading at 18,142.

Gold is trading at $1,666.30 an ounce.

The dollar is trading lower against other major currencies.