Investing.com - European markets opened higher on Tuesday, as sentiment was boosted by news a deal to temporarily end the U.S. government shutdown was made and following upbeat quarterly reports from companies in the region.
The EURO STOXX 50 climbed 0.51%, France’s CAC 40 added 0.18%, while Germany’s DAX 30 was up 0.90% by 03:40 a.m. ET (07:40 GMT).
On Monday, the U.S. Senate obtained enough votes to move a stopgap funding bill that would end the government shutdown.
The U.S. government shutdown took effect at midnight on Friday after Democrats and Republicans failed to agree on a last-minute deal to fund government operations.
Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) and Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) gained 0.31% and 0.10%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) and Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) climbed 0.51% and 0.90%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) and Unicredit (MI:CRDI) rallied 0.90% and 0.73% respectively, while Spanish banks Banco Santander (MC:SAN) and BBVA (MC:BBVA) advanced 0.58% and 0.85%.
Elsewhere, Logitech International SA (SIX:LOGN) shares soared 6.67% after the Swiss computer accessories group reported record thir-quarter sales of $812 million, up 22%.
Carrefour (PA:CARR) added to gains, as shares surged 5.20% after the French retailer announced a partnership with Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. and a €2.8 billion euro investment over five years in online shopping.
The overhaul is expected to result in 2,400 job cuts at the company's French headquarters.
In London, FTSE 100 rose 0.23%, boosted by easyJet (LON:EZJ), whose shares jumped 5.21% after the low cost airliner reported a 14% sales increase for the three months to December, helped by rival airlines' struggles.
SKY PLC (LON:SKYB) was also on the upside, as shares rallied 3.09% after the UK regulator blocked Rupert Murdoch’s £11.7 billion bid to take full control of the company, saying the deal would concentrate too much power in the media mogul’s hands.
In the financial sector, stocks were mostly higher. The Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) advanced 1.15% and Lloyds Banking (LON:LLOY) climbed 1.14%, while Barclays (LON:BARC) surged 2.21%. HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) held steady, dipping only 0.07%.
Meanwhile, mining stocks were broadly lower on the commodity-heavy index. Shares in Glencore (LON:GLEN) lost 1.27% and Fresnillo PLC (LON:FRES) tumbled 1.86%, while rival company Anglo American (LON:AAL) plummeted 1.91%.
National Grid (LON:NG) was one of the worst performers on the index, with shares down 2.05% as the company clashed with the UK energy regulator Ofgem over a major project to connect the Hinkley Point nuclear power station to the electricity network.
The company says that Ofgem’s proposals would make “sustainable investment in the UK energy sector” impossible.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.34% increase, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.16% gain, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.28% rise.