US stocks opened lower Tuesday as investors took a pause after a series of gains took the Dow to a record close for five days in a row.

US stocks brushed off an early move toward a correction and added to the bull run, with the Dow setting a fresh record for the fifth straight day.

Shares in London strengthened at the close on Monday, gaining ground in tandem with a rally on Wall Street, where investors continued to draw confidence from last week's positive US jobs data.

European stock markets closed on Monday with mixed but mainly weaker results as disappointing Chinese economic data offset positive job numbers out of the United States, analysts said.

Europe's main stock markets closed after turning in mixed performances on Monday, with London's FTSE 100 index of leading companies gaining 0.31 percent to 6,503.63 points.

A sharp fall in the unemployment rate Friday and a fresh all-time record for stocks show the US economy pulling away from its peers, gaining ground while Europe and Japan remain stagnant.

US stocks moved higher Friday after a surprisingly strong jobs report suggested the economic recovery was on track.

The February US jobs report delivered an encouraging surprise Friday, with the unemployment rate slipping to a four-year low and jobs growth picking up in the world's largest economy.

Europe's main stock markets rose further on Friday, with traders reacting to positive Chinese economic trade data and an upbeat US jobs report, analysts said.

Europe's main stock markets rose further on Friday, with traders reacting to positive Chinese economic data and upbeat US jobs data, analysts said.

Asian markets climbed on Friday following another record-breaking close for Wall Street's Dow Jones index, while Tokyo hit its highest level since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008.

London equities edged higher at the start of trade on Friday ahead of US jobs data.

Growing investor enthusiasm for equities in the wake of this week's records pushed US markets higher again Thursday.

Europe's main stock markets maintained earlier gains on Thursday after the ECB and Bank of England held their key rates, forgoing any new stimulus measures.

British insurer Aviva on Thursday said it tumbled into a net loss of £3.0 billion last year and slashed its shareholder dividend, sparking a slump in the group's share price.

Europe's main stock markets rose on Thursday as traders looked ahead to monetary policy decisions due from the ECB and Bank of England that might result in more British stimulus.

Asian stock markets on Thursday mostly reversed gains from the previous day even though the Dow hit another record on Wall Street, but Tokyo's Nikkei was supported by a weaker yen.

French retail giant Carrefour said Thursday that its 2012 net profit was three times bigger than the previous year owing mainly to asset sales, and the sharp improvement from poor results in 2011 pushed its shares higher on the Paris stock exchange.

London equities rose at the start of trading on Thursday, as traders looked ahead to monetary policy decisions due from both the ECB and Bank of England.

China's market regulator said it will allow more types of financial institutions to invest yuan funds held offshore in domestic capital markets, in a long-awaited move to boost the stock market.