Oil Prices Extend Slide as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Middle East Supply Fears 
BOJ Expected to Hold Rates Steady While Signaling More Hikes Ahead 
RBA Signals More Rate Hikes Possible as Australia Battles Stubborn Inflation 
Gold Price Slips as Stronger Dollar, Fed Rate Decision Weigh on Market 
Asian Stocks Rise as Oil Falls, Fed and Big Tech Earnings Take Center Stage 
Gold Prices Rise as Weak Dollar, Fed Rate Decision in Focus 
Trump Says No Decision on Major Iran Strikes as U.S.-Tehran Talks Intensify 
Eurozone Bond Yields Fall as Oil Slump Eases Inflation Fears Ahead of Central Bank Meetings 
Oil Prices Plunge as U.S.-Iran Pause Eases Middle East Supply Fears 
Houthi Attacks on Saudi Oil Sites Raise Fears of Wider Middle East Conflict Despite U.S. Strike Pause 
Asian Markets Rise as Oil Prices Fall Ahead of Fed, BOE, BOJ Meetings 
US Stock Futures Rise as Oil Falls, Nvidia Eyes $250 Billion OpenAI Data Center Deal 
Canada Opens Gordie Howe Bridge Without U.S. Officials as Trump Tariff Tensions Persist 
India to Continue U.S. Trade Talks After Trump Imposes 10% Import Tariff 
Singapore Central Bank’s Exchange Rate Policy Explained: Why MAS Uses the S$NEER Instead of Interest Rates 
Brazil Challenges Trump Tariffs at WTO Over Trade Dispute 
European stock markets traded slightly higher on Tuesday as upbeat corporate earnings from major consumer, luxury, industrial, and automotive companies helped offset persistent concerns over inflation and upcoming central bank policy decisions. Investors remained cautious ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate announcement, while expectations of further tightening by the European Central Bank also weighed on sentiment.
The pan-European STOXX 600 gained 0.2% in early trading, with Germany's DAX rising 0.2% and France's CAC 40 adding 0.5%. London's FTSE 100 was little changed as investors balanced strong earnings against higher interest rate expectations.
Consumer goods giant Unilever surged 6% after reporting second-quarter underlying sales growth that exceeded analyst forecasts. Strong demand for personal care and food products, supported by resilient sales volumes and stable pricing, highlighted continued consumer spending on essential goods despite elevated borrowing costs and inflation.
Luxury group LVMH climbed 2.6% after posting stronger second-quarter sales, driven by solid demand in the U.S. Telecom company Orange advanced nearly 4% after raising its profit and cash flow outlook, while Mercedes-Benz gained 3.5% as higher quarterly profit outweighed a reduced 2026 vehicle sales forecast. Fellow automakers BMW and Volkswagen also posted gains of around 2%.
French aerospace supplier Safran rose after lifting its full-year financial guidance following record first-half operating margins. In contrast, Dutch health technology company Philips dropped 8.5%, despite delivering better-than-expected second-quarter core earnings.
The latest earnings season highlights a mixed picture across Europe. Defensive sectors such as consumer staples, healthcare, and aerospace continue to benefit from strong pricing power and operational resilience, while luxury brands and other cyclical industries face pressure from higher interest rates and slower economic growth.
Investor sentiment remained restrained as elevated bond yields reflected expectations that borrowing costs will stay higher for longer. ECB policymaker Peter Kazimir reiterated that a September rate hike could still be necessary, reinforcing the central bank's commitment to controlling inflation.
Markets are now focused on the Federal Reserve's policy meeting, which concludes Wednesday. While the Fed is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged, investors will closely watch Chair Kevin Warsh's remarks for signals on the future direction of U.S. and global monetary policy.
