In world markets, European stocks finished higher, led by the CAC 40 in France rising 0.7 percent. Asian markets also finished higher, led by the Hang Seng in Hong Kong rising 2.1 percent. Meanwhile, Caterpillar Incorporated said its second-quarter profit grew 44 percent. Net profit rose 44 percent to $1.02 billion in the second quarter, from $707 million in the same period last year. Total revenue rose 37 percent to $14.23 billion, beating Wall Street expectations. The U.S. dollar rose versus the euro but fell versus the yen. The broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 1.22, or 0.1 percent, to 1,345.02. The technology-heavy Nasdaq composite index rose 24.40, or 0.9 percent, to 2,858.83. Micron, Microchip Technology, and Seagate were all up 2 percent or more.