European stocks pushed higher Tuesday, with investor optimism returning ahead of the closely watched gathering of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyo., later this week. The Stoxx Europe 600 index SXXP, +0.83% jumped 0.8% to close at 375.80, halting a three-session losing skid. The pan-European benchmark fell 0.4% on Monday, in part on concerns about another flare-up in tensions between the U.S. and North Korea.

U.S. stocks closed higher Tuesday, with the Dow industrials and the Nasdaq turning in their best session in months, as a surge in appetite for technology shares and health-care stocks underlined a measure of bullishness returning to markets after a rough patch. Both the Dow and the S&P 500 logged their second straight daily gain, while the Nasdaq snapped a three-session skid.

Asia-Pacific stocks were widely higher early Wednesday, getting a lift from improved sentiment and a stronger U.S. dollar. But Chinese equities fell modestly on a 5% slide in metals futures and Australia's benchmark turned lower as Commonwealth Bank of Australia faced a potential shareholder lawsuit in the wake of a government money-laundering case.