U.S. stocks eased on Tuesday as a jump in bond yields hit utilities and other top dividend payers, but energy gains and optimism Greece is near a deal with creditors limited losses.

European shares dipped on Tuesday while German bond yields rose, with investors scrabbling for clarity over whether a high-level meeting on Greece's debt crisis might herald a significant breakthrough.

U.S. stocks ended with modest gains on Monday, recovering part of last week's losses in a session marked by cautious trading as investors reacted to mixed economic data.

U.S. stocks closed lower on Friday as data showed the economy contracted in the first quarter but indexes still posted gains for the month.

U.S. stocks eased on Thursday as mixed messages about Greece's debt talks kept investor uncertainty high along with a sharp drop in Chinese shares after brokers tightened margin rules.

U.S. stocks ended sharply higher on Wednesday and the Nasdaq logged a record high close, led by a rebound in technology and healthcare stocks and optimism that Greece would avoid defaulting on its debt.

U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday, pushing the S&P 500 to its biggest decline in three weeks, weighed down by concerns about Greece and some upbeat data that fueled expectations that a U.S. rate hike could come sooner rather than later.

U.S. stocks ended marginally lower on Wednesday after Wall Street saw little in the minutes from last month's Federal Reserve meeting to alter expectations of when the central bank will raise interest rates.

U.S. stocks ended mixed on Tuesday, with the Dow rising marginally to a second straight record high, as Wall Street digested housing data that some saw as hopeful for an economy struggling to grow.

U.S. stocks ended sharply stronger on Thursday and the S&P 500 closed at a record high as investors worried less about interest rates and a weaker dollar offered the possibility of stronger sales for U.S. multinationals.