European stocks finished lower Monday as gloomy German economic data and a warning about global central bank effectiveness dampened sentiment ahead of the European Central Bank's highly anticipated policy decision later this week.

U.S. stocks eked out small gains Monday, allowing the S&P 500 and Dow industrials to extend their winning streak to five straight sessions, in part thanks to a jump in oil prices.

China shares fell Tuesday and were on track to end a five-day winning streak on worries that the government might try to cool speculative activity in the country's top property markets.

Based on MarketWatch materials