Investing.com - European stocks opened mixed on Tuesday, as inventors remained cautious ahead of this week’s policy meetings by the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 added 0.07%, France’s CAC 40 slipped 0.21%, while Germany’s DAX 30 inched up 0.06%.
Upbeat U.S. data released that week continued to support expectations for a rate hike by the U.S. central bank in the near future.
While most investors expect the Fed to leave its monetary policy unchanged this week, it could give hints on the timing of future rate hikes.
Market participants were also looking ahead to Friday’s policy statement by the BoJ, amid growing expectations for the announcement of additional stimulus measures.
Financial stocks were broadly lower, as French lenders Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) and BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) declined 0.73% and 0.66%, while Germany’s Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) and Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) plunged 2.65% and 3.92%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy’s Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) and Unicredit (MI:CRDI) lost 0.65% and 0.96% respectively, while Spanish banks Banco Santander (MC:SAN) and BBVA (MC:BBVA) fell 0.21% and 0.39%.
In earnings news, Orange SA (PA:ORAN) tumbled 1.92% even after the telecom company reaffirmed its 2016 full-year guidance and reported a sharp increase in net profit.
On the upside, Michelin (PA:MICP) climbed 0.46% after the tire maker reported a 9% increase in first-half profit despite a fall in sales, thanks to cost-cutting measures.
Meanwhile, Anheuser-Busch Inbev SA (BR:ABI) gained 0.44% after the brewing giant raised its buyout offer for rival SABMiller (LON:SAB), saying it will now pay £45 per share, up from its previous offer of £44 per share.
In London, FTSE 100 added 0.18%, led by GKN (LON:GKN), whose shares surged 3.38% after the car and plane components maker reported a flat interim net profit but lifted its dividend.
Mining stocks added to gains on the commodity-heavy index. Shares in Anglo American (LON:AAL) advanced 0.61% and Fresnillo (LON:FRES) jumped 1.06%, while Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) and BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) rallied 1.28% and 1.46% respectively.
In the financial sector, stocks were mostly lower as Barclays (LON:BARC) slid 0.66% and Lloyds Banking (LON:LLOY) lost 1.06%, while the Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) plummeted 1.84%. HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) overperformed however, with shares up 1.17%.
Oil and gas major BP (LON:BP) was also on the downside, as shares tumbled 1.42% after the company said second-quarter profit came in at $720 million, down from $1.3 billion in the second-quarter of 2015.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a steady open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.03% uptick, S&P 500 futures a 0.03% dip, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.06% gain.