Stocks mostly rose Tuesday following the previous day's stutter, as weak data reinforced optimism for US interest rate cuts and tempered concerns over rising Japanese bond yields.

Expectations that the Federal Reserve will lower borrowing costs have buoyed markets in recent weeks, helping them recover early November's losses driven by tech bubble fears.

Major European indices advanced after a mostly positive session in Asia.

Official data on Tuesday showed Eurozone inflation edged up to 2.2 percent in November, moving slightly away from the European Central Bank's two-percent target.

The ECB will announce its rate decision on December 18.

The data "comes at a time where some had claimed we could yet see another cut from the ECB, although the likeliness is that their easing cycle is ov

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