Investing.com - European markets opened higher on Tuesday, despite news Brexit negociations had once again stalled.
The EURO STOXX 50 rose 0.24%, France’s CAC 40 added 0.11%, while Germany’s DAX 30 was up 0.20% by 03:40 a.m. ET (07:40 GMT).
Market participants seemed to shrug off news that the UK and the European Union failed to agree upon the terms for Brexit on Monday.
However, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said that this didn't mean that talks were failing.
In other news, Portugal's Finance Minister Mario Centeno was selected to become the next leader of the Eurogroup, the body of euro zone finance ministers.
Financial stocks were mostly higher, as French lenders Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) and BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) gained 0.77% and 0.28%. Germany's Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) and Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) underperformed, easing 0.08% and 0.09%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) and Unicredit (MI:CRDI) rose 0.36% and 0.240% respectively, while Spanish banks BBVA (MC:BBVA) and Banco Santander (MC:SAN) added 0.22% and 0.07%.
Elsewhere, Technip (PA:FTI) shares tumbled 1.24% despite news on Monday the French company landed a $4.2 billion refinery contract in Bahrain.
The contract is expected to extend production capacity at the site on Sitra island from a current 267,000 to 360,000 barrels per day
In London, FTSE 100 advanced 0.45%, helped by WM Morrison Supermarkets PLC (LON:MRW), whose shares surged 3.60%.
The company made headlines late last week after a High Court ruling found it was liable for a data breach by a disgruntled former employee, who stole the data of nearly 100,000 staff and posted it online. Morrisons said it will be appealing the ruling.
Meanwhile, mining stocks were broadly lower on the commodity-heavy index. Shares in BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) slipped 0.11% and Anglo American (LON:AAL) declined 0.65%, while Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) dropped 0.85% and Glencore (LON:GLEN) lost 1.39%.
In the financial sector, stocks were also mostly lower, as the Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) slid 0.33% and Lloyds Banking (LON:LLOY) fell 0.38%, while Barclays (LON:BARC) retreated 0.72%. HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) advanced 0.70%.
Provident Financial (LON:PFG) was one of the worst performers on the index, as shares dove 17.72% following news he UK Financial Conduct Authority is investigating the company's car financing unit over how it decides if its loans are affordable.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a mixed open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.23% increase, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.13% rise, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.04% dip.