Investing.com - European stocks were mixed in choppy trade on Tuesday, after upbeat data from Germany and fresh uncertainty over the need for fresh easing measures by the European Central Bank.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 eased 0.07%, France’s CAC 40 slipped 0.11%, while Germany’s DAX 30 added 0.13%.
On Monday, data showed that German business sentiment improved this month, snapping six successive months of declines.
Data on Tuesday confirmed that Germany narrowly avoided a recession in the third quarter, posting economic growth of 0.1%.
The reports came after ECB President Mario Draghi warned on Friday that inflation expectations were declining to levels that were very low and said the ECB is ready to expand its stimulus program to boost inflation as quickly as possible.
Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders BNP Paribas (PARIS:BNPP) and Societe Generale (PARIS:SOGN) jumped 1.12% and 1.37%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank (XETRA:DBKGn) and Commerzbank (XETRA:CBKG) rallied 1.08% and 1.60%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy's Unicredit (MILAN:CRDI) and Intesa Sanpaolo gained 0.73% and 0.88% respectively, while Spanish bank BBVA (MADRID:BBVA) and Banco Santander advanced 0.41% and 0.51%.
Dutch lender ING Groep NV climbed 0.78% after announcing plans to cut 1,700 jobs in a move to simplify and automate systems and processes.
Elsewhere, FLSmidth & Co. (COP:FLS) surged 2.74% after the Danish engineering group said that it signed a contract for a large cement project.
In London, FTSE 100 slipped 0.12%, weighed by Kingfisher, down 2.68% after the home-improvement retailer said sales in France, its largest market, dropped by 9.3% in the 13 weeks through November 1.
Mining stocks added to losses on the commodity-heavy index. Shares in Glencore Xstrata (LONDON:GLEN) declined 0.71% and Rio Tinto tumbled 1.01%, while rivals Fresnillo (LONDON:FRES) and Bhp Billiton plunged 1.45% and 2.04% respectively.
On the upside, BT Group saw shares rally 1.42% amid reports the telecom company was approached by O2 owner Telefonica and the parents of O2's bigger rival EE to discuss competing deals to create a powerhouse in fixed-line broadband, mobile and TV.
Financial stocks were also broadly higher, as the Royal Bank of Scotland (LONDON:RBS) added 0.18% and Lloyds Banking (LONDON:LLOY) gained 0.58%, while Barclays advanced 0.57% and HSBC Holdings (LONDON:HSBA) jumped 0.98%.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a moderately lower open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.07% dip, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.09% fall, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.08% loss.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release revised data on third quarter gross domestic product and a report on consumer confidence.