Equity markets were also supported by global banking supervisors' plans to scale back proposals to beef up bank capital and liquidity rules. It was a relief to investors who feared tough rules would hit the profitability of the financial sector.
Corporate performance in the second quarter had eased concerns that the global economy might slow into year end as fiscal stimulus runs out and austerity programs hit consumer spending.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average struggled to make its fourth consecutive winning session, rising 9 points at midday in New York to 10,535.
In other US indexes, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index slipped to 1,112. The Nasdaq Composite Index fell to 2,286.
There were signs corporate profitability could outshine lingering economic weakness. In the United States, 78 percent of the 175 companies in the benchmark S&P 500 index have reported earnings above analyst expectations, according to Thomson Reuters data.
The MSCI world equity index rose 0.26 percent to hit its highest level since May 14. The Thomson Reuters global stock index gained 0.1 percent.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 0.5 percent, and emerging stocks added 0.64 percent, finding positive territory for the year.
In bonds, US Treasuries suffered amid equity strength but narrowed losses after the gloomy consumer confidence report. Benchmark 10-year Treasury note yields rose 0.06 percentage point to 3.06 percent.
In currencies, the euro struggled to hold its gains against the dollar but was trading at $1.29 after reaching $1.30.
The dollar gained against a basket of major trading-partner currencies, with the US. Dollar Index rising 0.07 percent at 82.141. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar rose 1.13 percent to 87.86 yen.
Oil prices fell by more than 2 percent on Tuesday. The US data prompted US benchmark oil prices to back down sharply from a new 11-week high of $79.69 a barrel earlier Tuesday, falling by $1.65 a barrel to $77.33 by 12:04 p.m. EDT (1404 GMT).
ICE Brent fell $1.63 to $75.87 a barrel by the same time.
