U.S. stocks fell Wednesday, as another busy day of earnings gave investors a fresh sense of how companies are coping with an economic slowdown and higher interest rates.

U.S. stock indexes were mixed on Tuesday morning as a number of major companies reported earnings.

U.S. stock futures retreated on Monday, suggesting that the recent rally in the stock market could pause this week as investors parse fourth-quarter results to see how higher interest rates are affecting major companies.

The Stoxx 600 was up 0.2% in early afternoon trade, paring earlier gains. Healthcare stocks added 1% to lead gains while autos dropped 1.8%.The European blue chip index closed up 0.7% at 450.22 points on Thursday, its highest point since April 2022. The index was choppy following the latest U.S. inflation print.

The Belt and Road Initiative, China's ambitious plan to build infrastructure overseas, has been facing some challenges in recent years.