European markets are expected to open in mixed territory Wednesday, with investors gearing up for more earnings releases and the latest inflation data from the U.K.
The U.K.’s FTSE 100 index is expected to open 5 points lower at 8,763, Germany’s DAX up 9 points at 22,868, France’s CAC down 12 points at 8,209 and Italy’s FTSE MIB 58 points higher at 38,686, according to data from IG.
Earnings on Wednesday come from BAE Systems, Glencore, Rio Tinto, Koninklijke Philips and Carrefour. Europe’s largest lender HSBC earlier on Wednesday reported an annual pre-tax profit of $32.31 billion, marginally missing analysts’ estimates, as the bank’s net interest income declined by $3.1 billion from a year earlier.
Data releases Wednesday include the latest U.K. inflation data. Economists polled by Reuters expect the U.K.’s consumer price index to have risen to 2.8% in January, up from 2.5% the previous month.
Asia-Pacific stocks were mostly lower overnight, breaking ranks with Wall Street that saw the S&P 500 close at a record high on Tuesday as investors appeared to look past tariffs and inflation headwinds. U.S. stock futures were little changed on Tuesday night.