Investing.com - European stocks moved higher on Wednesday, as investors eyed the release of German business climate data due later in the day, as well as the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s most recent policy meeting.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 rose 0.24%, France’s CAC 40 climbed 0.42%, while Germany’s DAX 30 gained 0.36%.
Financial stocks were mixed, as French lenders Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) and BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) advanced 0.85% and 1.22%, while Germany’s Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) and Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) jumped 1.05% and 1.61%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy’s Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) and Unicredit (MI:CRDI) gained 0.39% and 1.15% respectively, while Spanish banks Banco Santander (MC:SAN) and BBVA (MC:BBVA) rose 0.37% and 0.42%.
Elsewhere, Airbus Group (PA:AIR) SE said its net income for fiscal year 2016 dropped to €995 million from the prior year's €2.696 billion, sending shares down 1.92%.
Bayer AG (DE:BAYGN) added to losses, with shares down 0.36% after the German drugmaker said it expects earnings to stagnate this year, after reporting slightly better than expected fourth-quarter earnings .
The companys is preparing to wrap up the $66 billion takeover of U.S. seed maker Monsanto (NYSE:MON) later this year.
In London, conmodity-heavy FTSE 100 rose 0.23%, led by Lloyds Banking (LON:LLOY), whose shares surged 4.06% after the lender said 2016 annual profits more than doubled to £4.24 billion.
Other U.K. banks were also higher, as HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) gained 0.72% and the Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) climbed 0.76%, while Barclays (LON:BARC) advanced 0.81%.
Barratt Developments PLC (LON:BDEV) added to gains, as shares jumped 2.62% after the home builder reported pretax profit of £321.0 million for the half year ended 31 December 2016, up 8.8% from £295.0 million.
Meanwhile, mining stocks were broadly lower on the commodity-heavy index. Shares in Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) fell 0.27% and BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) lost 1.46%, while rival company Anglo American (LON:AAL) tumbled 2.00%.
Mediclinic International PLC (LON:MDCM) was also on the downside, with shares retreating 1.33%, after the hospital provider issued its second profit warning in five months amid ongoing problems with its newly acquired Middle East business.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a steady to higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.12% rise, S&P 500 futures showed a 0.05% uptick, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.11% gain.