Investors welcomed news that the U.S. economy added 157,000 jobs last month, sending the Dow above 14,000 for the first time since 2007.
Stocks fell, as a batch of disappointing corporate earnings and a rise in first time jobless claims eventually overtook investors' impulse to buy.
Stocks were muted on Wednesday, with investors jolted by news that the U.S. economy shrank in the fourth quarter.
European shares suffered their biggest daily drop this month after gloomy earnings and weak U.S. economic data hit sentiment on Wednesday and left some positioning for further falls in the near-term.
Asian stocks closed higher on Wednesday, with investors shifting their focus to corporate earnings in the region and the Federal Reserve's policy announcement later in the day.
Stocks closed higher on Tuesday as the Dow marched toward the 14,000 level and investors looked ahead to Wednesday's Federal Reserve policy announcement. A gain in the energy sector following strong earnings from refiner Valero and big gains in the pharma sector after Pfizer's solid earnings report supported stocks.
European equities scaled fresh two-year highs on Tuesday, boosted by miners, as optimism about economic recovery gained momentum following encouraging U.S. home price data and comments over growth in top metals consumer China.
Asian shares rose on Tuesday as recent selling drew bargain hunters ahead of more U.S. economic data and a Federal Reserve policy decision later in the week.
European equities touched fresh multi-month peaks on Monday, with technical charts pointing to a continued slow grind higher.
Japan's Nikkei breached the 11,0000 mark briefly as the yen continued to weaken.
Asian shares ended mixed on Friday, dragged lower by a drop in regional technology stocks, although gains in Australia and Japan contained overall losses for equities.
European shares closed higher Thursday, with the market taking direction from an opening rise on Wall Street where the S&P 500 hit the 1,500 mark for the first time since December 2007.
Asian shares were mixed on Thursday after manufacturing data from China confirmed a recovery was on track, easing nervousness caused by a sharp drop in Apple shares.
NEW YORK, Jan 23- The yen was little changed against the dollar on Wednesday one day after a sharp rally, and traders appeared ready to resume selling the yen on expectations of more monetary stimulus in Japan. The yen staged a forceful recovery on Tuesday after the Bank of Japan disappointed investors who had hoped for aggressive easing actions.
European shares inched higher on Wednesday, with a key index moving back towards a near two-year high hit recently.
Asian shares retreated from multi-month highs on Wednesday amid caution as the earnings season gathers pace, with Tokyo stocks falling to three-week closing lows.