Charting the Markets: European Bank Earnings End November Advance

Global stocks were little changed, with Asian markets taking their cue from the U.S., where both the S&P 500 Index and Nasdaq 100 Index made symbolic highs. The S&P 500 closed at a level not seen since Aug. 10, the day before China devalued its currency, prompting turbulence across global financial markets. The Nasdaq 100 rose to a 15-year high. Investors have one eye on Friday's U.S. jobs report, which will help determine if the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates this year. According to Bloomberg data the odds of a move in December are 50 percent, compared with 33 percent a month ago.

The Reserve Bank of Australia kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a record-low 2 percent, confounding 12 out of 29 economists surveyed by Bloomberg who had forecast a reduction today. The next move depends on the outlook for inflation. RBA Governor Glenn Stevens talked up the prospects for an improvement in economic conditions, causing traders to push back bets on when the next cut might happen into the first quarter of 2016. The Aussie rose against all 16 of its major peers. In 2015 it's dropped 12 percent against the U.S. dollar.