Stable Markets

Hong Kong's Hang Seng and Tokyo's Nikkei were off slightly overnight, while London's FTSE 100 was up 0.9 percent and Germany's DAX-30 1.3 percent in afternoon trading. The Dow edged up 33 points to 7722 in midafternoon trading. The Nasdaq was up 10 to 1641.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng and Tokyo's Nikkei were off slightly overnight, while London's FTSE 100 was up 0.9 percent and Germany's DAX-30 1.3 percent in afternoon trading. The Dow edged up 33 points to 7722 in midafternoon trading. The Nasdaq was up 10 to 1641.