Investing.com - European stocks opened higher on Tuesday, as investors eyed an upcoming speech by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen due later in the day for further indications on the central bank’s next policy moves.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 rallied 1.13%, France’s CAC 40 jumped 1.16%, while Germany’s DAX 30 gained 0.88%.
Trading resumed on European markets on Tuesday after a four day break for the Easter holiday.
Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) and Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) rallied 1.90% and 1.29%, while Germany’s Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) and Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) jumped 1.03% and 1.28%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy’s Unicredit (MI:CRDI) and Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) advanced 1.21% and 1.25% respectively, while Spanish bannks BBVA (MC:BBVA) and Banco Santander (MC:SAN) climbed 1.17% and 1.30%.
Elsewhere, Allianz (DE:ALVG) saw shares jump 1.12% after analysts at Societe Generale gave the stock a €155.00 price target and a “neutral” rating.
ArcelorMittal SA (AS:ISPA) added to gains, with shares surging 3.47% after the teel giant earlier announced that it has entered into a deal to divest its LaPlace and Vinton Long Carbon facilities in the U.S. to an affiliate of Black Diamond Capital Management.
In London, FTSE 100 gained 0.73%, led by gains in easyJet (LON:EZJ), whose shares rallied 3.20%.
The company made headlines over the weekend after an Iraqi man was prevented from taking his flight from Vienna to London when a fellow passenger reported him over what she thought were "Isis messages" on his mobile phone.
Financial stocks were also on the upside, as HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) rose 0.34% and Lloyds Banking (LON:LLOY) climbed 0.88%, while the Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) and Barclays (LON:BARC) advanced 1.61% and 1.80% respectively.
Meanwhile, mining stocks were broadly lower on the commodity-heavy index. Shares in Glencore (LON:GLEN) dropped 0.60% and Randgold Resources (LON:RRS) declined 0.79%, while rival company Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) tumbled 1.42%.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.09% gain, S&P 500 futures a 0.18% rise, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.23% increase.