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(Sharecast News) - European shares were higher on Tuesday as investors eyed talks in Geneva between Iran and the US on a nuclear deal and digested unemployment and wage data from the UK.
The pan-regional Stoxx 600 index was up 0.19 % to 619.72 in early deals.
US President Donald Trump said he would be "indirectly" involved in the discussions, due to start later on Tuesday.
"I don't think they want the consequences of not making a deal," Trump told reporters, referring to last summer's attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The US has also reportedly sent the USS Gerald R Ford, the world's largest warship, to the Middle East.
On the economics front, German inflation rose slightly to 2.1% last month on the back of higher food prices, federal statistics office Destatis said on Tuesday, confirming preliminary data.
In the UK, the unemployment rate hit its highest level in nearly five years in December, while earnings growth eased, boosting hopes of an interest rate cut by the Bank of England.
The jobless rate nudged up to 5.2% in the three months to December from 5.1% in the previous three months, hitting the highest level since the first quarter of 2021. Economists were expecting the rate to be unchanged.
In equities news, BHP gained as it reported a sharp jump in first-half earnings and lifted its dividend by 46% as its pivot towards copper production from iron ore paid off.
InterContinental Hotels gained as it posted a rise in full-year operating profit and revenue and announced a new $950m share buyback, amid strength in the EMEEA region.
Shares in copper miner Antofagasta were lower despite reporting strong full-year topline growth and delivering record underlying earnings, driven by increased commodity prices and higher sales volumes.
Plus500 tumbled after the company's chief executive, chief financial officer and chief marketing officer sold 1.5m shares to Goldman Sachs. The sale of the shares, which equates to a stake of around 2.1%, was carried out at 4,478p per share.
Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com