NEW YORK - US stocks opened mostly higher, withstanding a poor durable goods report and a disappointing outlook from Apple that pushed the Nasdaq into the red. Five minutes into trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 61.84 (0.39 per cent) to 15,899.72. The broad-based S&P 500 advanced 4.60 (0.26 per cent) to 1,786.16, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index fell 6.68 (0.16 per cent) to 4,076.93. Investors were cheered by strong earnings reports from Pfizer, Ford Motor and others, even as durable goods orders plummeted in December by 4.3 per cent. LONDON - Europe's main stock markets gained, showing a rebound on firm US confidence data ahead of a US Federal Reserve decision on the future of monetary stimulus. In London, where official data showed that the British economy expanded at the fastest rate last year since before the financial crisis, the FTSE 100 index gained 0.33 per cent or 21.67 points to 6,572.33 points. British gross domestic product grew by 1.9 per cent in 2013, the biggest expansion since 2007. In Frankfurt, the Dax index, gained 0.62 per cent to 9,406.91 points. In Paris, the CAC 40 index surged 0.98 per cent or by 40.73 points to 4,185.29 points. The Madrid market was boosted by 1.24 per cent to 9,879.1 points and in Milan, the market gained 0.91 per cent to 19,448 points. The euro was at $US1.3663 from $US1.3670 late on Monday. HONG KONG - Asian markets were mixed after suffering a heavy sell-off in the previous session, with traders still nervous over emerging economies as they await the Federal Reserve's next move on its stimulus program. Tokyo closed down 0.17 per cent, or 25.57 points, to 14,980.16, ending below 15,000 for the first time since mid-November, while Seoul rose 0.34 per cent, or 6.59 points, to 1,916.93. Sydney fell 1.26 per cent, or 65.8 points, to 5,175.1. Hong Kong ended flat, dipping 15.46 points to 21,960.64 and Shanghai closed 0.26 per cent, or 5.21 points, higher at 2,038.51. WELLINGTON - The NZX 50 Index fell, 5.360 points, or 0.1 per cent to 4848.439.