Investing.com - European stocks were higher on Wednesday, after positivie industrial production data from France, while markets eyed the minutes of the Federal Reserve's latest policy meeting later in the day.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 jumped 0.98%, France’s CAC 40 gained 0.72%, while Germany’s DAX 30 advanced 0.69%.
Official data showed that industrial production in France 0.7% in February, more than the expected 0.6% increase, after a 0.8% decline the previous month.
Meanwhile, investors were waiting to see if the U.S. central bank discussed the possibility of an earlier-than-expected end to its quantitative easing program at its March meeting, after examining the possibility at its previous two meetings.
Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders BNP Paribas and Societe Generale surged 2.18% and 2.45%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank jumped 1.15% and 0.69%.
Peripheral lenders added to gains, with Italian banks Intesa Sanpaolo and Unicredit rallying 1.82% and 2.09% respectively, while Spain's BBVA and Banco Santander advanced 1.95% and 2.48%.
Elsewhere, Gerresheimer, a specialist in advanced glass and plastic products, soared 4.57% after saying that first-quarter revenue jumped 10% to EUR296.7 million.
On the downside, France Telecom tumbled 1.19% after Goldman Sachs added the stock to its conviction sell list, citing a deteriorating domestic economy.
In London, FTSE 100 gained 0.63%, as U.K. lenders tracked their European counterparts higher.
Shares in HSBC Holdings advanced 0.70% and Lloyds Banking jumped 1.97%, while the Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays rallied 2.90% and 3.21% respectively.
Mining giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto were also on the upside, climbing 0.58% and 1.86%, while rival companies Vedanta Resources and Eurasian Natural Resources surged 2.91% and 3.38%.
Adding to gains, copper producers Xstrata and Kazakhmys advanced 1.02% and 3.15%.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.21% increase, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.17% gain, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.19% rise.
Also Wednesday, official data showed that China posted an unexpected trade surplus in March as imports rose sharply to outstrip exports.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 jumped 0.98%, France’s CAC 40 gained 0.72%, while Germany’s DAX 30 advanced 0.69%.
Official data showed that industrial production in France 0.7% in February, more than the expected 0.6% increase, after a 0.8% decline the previous month.
Meanwhile, investors were waiting to see if the U.S. central bank discussed the possibility of an earlier-than-expected end to its quantitative easing program at its March meeting, after examining the possibility at its previous two meetings.
Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders BNP Paribas and Societe Generale surged 2.18% and 2.45%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank jumped 1.15% and 0.69%.
Peripheral lenders added to gains, with Italian banks Intesa Sanpaolo and Unicredit rallying 1.82% and 2.09% respectively, while Spain's BBVA and Banco Santander advanced 1.95% and 2.48%.
Elsewhere, Gerresheimer, a specialist in advanced glass and plastic products, soared 4.57% after saying that first-quarter revenue jumped 10% to EUR296.7 million.
On the downside, France Telecom tumbled 1.19% after Goldman Sachs added the stock to its conviction sell list, citing a deteriorating domestic economy.
In London, FTSE 100 gained 0.63%, as U.K. lenders tracked their European counterparts higher.
Shares in HSBC Holdings advanced 0.70% and Lloyds Banking jumped 1.97%, while the Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays rallied 2.90% and 3.21% respectively.
Mining giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto were also on the upside, climbing 0.58% and 1.86%, while rival companies Vedanta Resources and Eurasian Natural Resources surged 2.91% and 3.38%.
Adding to gains, copper producers Xstrata and Kazakhmys advanced 1.02% and 3.15%.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.21% increase, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.17% gain, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.19% rise.
Also Wednesday, official data showed that China posted an unexpected trade surplus in March as imports rose sharply to outstrip exports.