In China, however, the Shanghai Composite Index fell 1.6 percent, ending a day of volatile trading on Asian bourses.
Data released before markets opened showed Japan's core consumer prices marked the first annual drop since the central bank deployed a stimulus program.
If inflation is stable and a stronger economy can boost employment, the U.S. Federal Reserve Board will raise interest rates later this year, its chairwoman said.
The Secret Service reported that the Fed chairwoman was feeling better after experiencing lightheadedness in Amherst, Massachussets, a report said.
Investors were cautious ahead of a speech by Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen, scheduled for 5 p.m. EDT Thursday.
In announcing a historic redlining settlement Thursday, government officials said more companies are under investigation for discriminatory lending.
International financial regulators are at odds over new rules designed to keep taxpayers from having to foot big-bank bailouts.
Nearly 11 million cars have been affected by the misleading software, causing uproar among Volkswagen owners and environmental protection agencies alike.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 ended the day 2.8 percent in the red, with shares of car manufactures falling steeply as a delayed reaction to the Volkswagen emissions scandal.
Worries that an eventual tightening in U.S. monetary policy and slower growth in China could knock the global economy have scared off investors, particularly those invested in stocks and commodities.
With almost $500 billion in annual sales and a globally diversified supply chain, Wal-Mart holds tremendous sway over its vendors.
Data showed U.S. manufacturing growth stayed at a two-year low in September, while Chinese factory activity shrank, underscoring worries about demand.
On Thursday, New York City public schools will close to mark Eid al-Adha -- and many Muslim families are hailing the decision.
"I’d be lying if I didn't say that as a person of color, you may encounter some discrimination," a black English teacher said.
News of CEO Martin Winterkorn's resignation Wednesday comes days after the automaker admitted that 11 million of its cars were rigged to cheat on EPA emissions tests.
While European markets appeared on the mend, U.S. stock futures pointed to a strong opening after Tuesday's fall.
As China's president meets with American corporate leaders, U.S. investors are hoping for China to move forward with liberalizing measures.
In his first speech on his U.S. visit, Xi Jinping defended China's crackdown on graft, the intervention in stock markets to prevent "panic," and pledged a more open economy.
China's factory sector shrank at a faster pace than expected in September, falling to its weakest level in over six years.
Downside risks to global growth have increased and the weak economic outlook will make achieving development goals more difficult, an IMF official said.
A news story about Turing Pharmaceuticals sparked outrage among patients, medical societies and Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton.
"It's China. It's the Fed. It's slowing global growth. The news on Volkswagen is overhanging the auto industry. There is a bit of a bubble in the healthcare area," one analyst said.
Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein announced Tuesday that he has cancer, illustrating a shift in the debate over whether details of a chief exec's health are public or private.
Pope Francis, who arrives in Washington Tuesday, is inspiring Roman Catholic investors to put their money where their faith is.
A long-simmering dispute over whether Brian Moynihan should occupy the positions of both CEO and chairman ended Tuesday with the bank prevailing.
Monday’s gains were canceled as skittish investors saw mining and automotive stocks plunge in Europe.
Private equity tax maneuvers recently have been blasted by both President Obama and Donald Trump. Now Sen. Elizabeth Warren adds a new front in the battle.
German auto sales have already been weak. Could the Volkswagen emissions scandal drive them down even further?
"Late this summer after several weeks of not feeling well, I underwent a series of tests, which culminated in a biopsy last week."
European stocks plummeted sharply at the open Tuesday, as investors continued to hunt for clues to the U.S. Federal Reserve's plans.
