US stocks were mixed, with the S&P 500 bouncing on Tuesday to end a four-day losing skid, as earnings from Best Buy and TJX Cos helped buoy retailers and consumer discretionary stocks.
European stocks hit a three-week low and a major volatility index jumped, as expectations hardened that the US Federal Reserve will start to scale back its monetary stimulus measures next month.
Asian shares got a much needed reprieve from the recent sell-off, as US borrowing costs eased and investors everywhere hunkered down for minutes of the Federal Reserve's July policy meeting.