Stockmarkets in the US ended the session slightly higher in spite of news the US Federal Reserve Open Market Committee is split on when to next raise rates.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.1 per cent to 18,573.94 while the S&P 500 index gained 0.2 per cent to 2,182.22 points.
But in Asia the markets were less positive, with the Nikkei 225 index slipping 1.6 per cent as the yen strengthened against the dollar in the wake of the US central bank minutes.
In the UK the FTSE 100 index has started steadily, gaining 0.3 per cent in early trading to 6,877.61, while the FTSE 250 index climbed 0.4 per cent higher.
