U.S., European shares advance as euro dives to lowest since 2017

Key U.S. equity indexes ended higher after choppy trade on Wednesday on a boost from strong earnings from Microsoft and Visa, as commodity stocks lifted European shares to their first gain in four sessions.

The euro dropped to its weakest since 2017 after Russia halted gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland, and investors fretted more about the region's economy.

The dollar continued its surge, on course for its biggest monthly gain since January 2015 as expectations mounted that the U.S. Federal Reserve will hike interest rates aggressively in coming months and the American economy will be stronger than the euro zone.

$Dow Jones Industrial Average(.DJI.US)$ rose 0.19% to end at 33,301.93 points, while $S&P 500 index(.SPX.US)$ gained 0.21% to 4,183.92.

$Nasdaq Composite Index(.IXIC.US)$ dropped 0.01% to 12,488.93.

$Microsoft(MSFT.US)$ jumped 4.8% % and $Visa(V.US)$ Inc surged 6.5%% on strong earnings, helping boost the S&P 500.