European equities traded mostly higher on Tuesday as easing tensions between Israel and Iran supported investor sentiment. The U.S. dollar retreated from a two-month high, while Brent crude slipped below $93 per barrel after both countries agreed to suspend attacks, raising expectations that diplomatic efforts could gain momentum.
Market confidence also received a boost from fresh economic data showing strong growth in both Chinese exports and imports during May.
In Europe, official figures showed German industrial production rose 0.4% month-on-month in April, reversing a revised 0.1% decline recorded in March, according to Destatis.
The result matched market expectations and marked the first monthly increase in industrial output in five months.
Separate data indicated that German exports increased 0.9% in April compared with the previous month, accelerating from March’s 0.3% gain. Economists had anticipated a 0.3% decline.
The French CAC 40 advanced 0.7%, while Germany’s DAX gained 0.5%. In contrast, the UK’s FTSE 100 slipped 0.3%, weighed down by weakness in energy stocks including BP Plc and Shell.
Among corporate movers, shares of Technip (EU:TE), Airbus (EU:AIR) and Safran (EU:SAF) moved higher after the French companies partnered with Tereos on a sustainable aviation fuel production initiative in France.
In London, scientific instruments specialist Oxford Instruments (LSE:OXIG) dropped 6.5% despite delivering full-year results that modestly exceeded expectations.
Housebuilder Bellway (LSE:BWY) climbed 3% after reaffirming its profit outlook for fiscal 2026.
Keller Group (LSE:KLR) gained 3% after announcing a $207 million contract variation related to a major highway reconstruction project in the United States.
Meanwhile, GSK (LSE:GSK) fell 3.5% after agreeing to acquire U.S.-listed oncology company Nuvalent in a deal valued at $10.6 billion.
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