Investing.com - European stocks opened higher on Wednesday, as investors awaited the release of euro zone inflation data later in the day, as well as the European Central Bank's highly-anticipated policy statement on Thursday.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 rose 0.25%, France’s CAC 40 added 0.23%, while Germany’s DAX 30 gained 0.24%.
European equities found support in recent weeks as the ECB has been signaling that it is ready to implement additional easing measures in order to boost inflation in the euro zone and support growth.
In addition, optimism over the strength of the economy in the euro area was boosted after Eurostat reported on Tuesday that the bloc's unemployment rate fell to 10.7% in October from 10.8% a month earlier. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since January 2012.
Earlier Wednesday, data showed that the number of unemployed people in Spain declined by 27.100 in November, compared to expectations for a 10.300 drop, after an increase of 82.300 the previous month.
Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) and Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) gained 0.60% and 0.82%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) and Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) rose 0.23% and 0.39%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy's Unicredit (MI:CRDI) and Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) advanced 0.36% and 0.75% respectively, while Spanish bank Banco Santander (MC:SAN) climbed 0.70%.
Elsewhere, Volkswagen (DE:VOWG_p) declined 0.69% following reports the automaker will recall about 323,700 cars in India after a government-ordered probe into its diesel models showed emissions exceeding permissible limits.
In London, commodity-heavy FTSE 100 gained 0.45%, helped by gains in the mining sector.
Shares in Rio Tinto (L:RIO) added 0.14% and Bhp Billiton (L:BLT) rose 0.28%, while Glencore (L:GLEN) climbed 0.44% and Randgold Resources (L:RRS) rallied 0.94%.
Financial stocks were also broadly higher. The Royal Bank of Scotland (L:RBS) inched up 0.03% and Barclays (L:BARC) added 0.30%, while Lloyds Banking (L:LLOY) gained 0.36% and HSBC Holdings (L:HSBA) gained 0.46%.
U.K. lenders had rallied on Tuesday after the Bank of England said that all seven major U.K. banks passed stress tests, although Standard Chartered (L:STAN) and the Royal Bank of Scotland fell short in some parts of the assessment.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.21% gain, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.20% rise, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.22% increase.