Europe: Stocks stable at open

[LONDON] Europe's main stock markets steadied at the start of trade on Tuesday, as London returned from a long holiday weekend.

The British capital's benchmark FTSE 100 index nudged 0.1 per cent lower to 6,830.16 points compared with Friday's close.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 rose 0.4 per cent to 10,588.71 points and the Paris CAC 40 added almost 0.4 per cent to 4,439.68 points, compared with Monday's closing level.

On Monday, Frankfurt and Paris had fallen as investors tried to second-guess the US Federal Reserve on the timing of its next rate increase.

Asian equities rose Tuesday, with Tokyo recovering from initial losses as expectations of a US interest rate hike and talk of more Japanese monetary easing pushed the yen down against the US dollar.

In a much-scrutinised speech, Fed chief Janet Yellen had hinted Friday at a rate rise by the end of the year.

AFP