European stocks were mostly higher on Wednesday as new rules for the region's financial markets, known as Mifid II, came into force and the euro edged lower for the first time in six days.
There is also some respite on the economic front as official data showed that Germany's jobless rate held steady at a record low of 5.5 percent in December, bolstering optimism over the health of Europe's largest economy.
On the flip side, U.K. construction activity grew at a slower pace in December, survey results from IHS Markit showed.
The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index was up 0.3 percent at 389.33 in late opening deals after declining 0.2 percent in the previous session on fears of ECB stimulus tapering.
The German DAX was moving up 0.4 percent and France's CAC 40 index was rising 0.3 percent while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was marginally lower in choppy trade.
AkzoNobel rose about 1 percent after appointing Arcadis's Vree as CFO of its specialty chemicals business. Arcadis NV shares climbed 2.2 percent.
Switzerland-based Addex Therapeutics jumped more than 15 percent. The company has signed a licensing and collaboration agreement with Indivior for global development and commercialization of ADX71441 for the treatment of addiction.
Apple supplier AMS advanced 3.5 percent after a rally in technology companies boosted U.S. stocks to record highs overnight.
Clothing retailer Next Plc soared 7.5 percent in London after raising its full-year profit guidance.
Oil & gas exploration firm Tullow Oil rallied 2.5 percent and Total SA rose half a percent as oil prices steadied near multi-year highs.
HeidelbergCement shares rose over 1 percent. The building materials company said the significant reduction of the effective tax rate in the U.S. will have a positive effect on group net profit and cashflow starting in the year 2019.
by RTT Staff Writer
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