Investing.com - European stocks were higher on Wednesday, after positive German consumer climate data and as market sentiment strengthened ahead of the Federal Reserve's upcoming policy statement, due later in the day.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 added 0.16%, France’s CAC 40 rose 0.34%, while Germany’s DAX 30 advanced 0.51%.
The German research institute, Gfk said its Consumer Climate Index rose to 9.3 this month, above forecasts for 9.2 and up from a reading of 9.0 in December.
Investors were looking ahead to the outcome of Wednesday’s Fed meeting, with the bank expected to stick to its pledge to be patient on tightening monetary policy.
European equities had strengthened last week after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi announced that the bank will make monthly purchases of €60 billion per month, starting in March and continuing until late 2016.
Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders BNP Paribas (PARIS:BNPP) and Societe Generale (PARIS:SOGN) rose 0.24% and 0.31%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank (XETRA:DBKGn) gained 0.83%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy's Unicredit and Intesa Sanpaolo added 0.18% and 0.61% respectively, while Spanish banks BBVA and Banco Santander inched up 0.01% and 0.03%.
Elsewhere, Electrolux (ST:ELUXa) saw shares surge 6.90% after Europe's biggest appliances maker said fourth-quarter operating profit climbed by 20%.
On the downside, Roche (SIX:ROG) tumbled 1.27% after the Swiss drugmaker reported 2014 earnings below analysts' estimates.
In London, commodity-heavy FTSE 100 added 0.24%, boosted by sharp gains in the mining sector.
Shares in Bhp Billiton and Rio Tinto advanced 0.78% and 0.80% respectively, while Glencore Xstrata (LONDON:GLEN) jumped 1.67% and Anglo American surged 2.68%.
Earlier Wednesday, Anglo American said that coal and iron-ore output had increased in the fourth quarter of 2014.
Experian (LONDON:EXPN) led gains on the index, with shares soaring 3.39% after the information services group reported that it has strong cash generation potential and said it will periodically return surplus capital to shareholders, beginning with a $600 million share repurchase program, to be completed over the next 14 months.
Financial stocks were also on the upside, as Lloyds Banking (LONDON:LLOY) eased up 0.05% and the Royal Bank of Scotland (LONDON:RBS) adding 0.11%, while HSBC Holdings (LONDON:HSBA) rose 0.15% and Barclays climbed 0.65%.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.14% gain, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.42% climb, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 1.07% jump.