European equities showed a mixed pattern in early trading on Tuesday as investors parsed fresh company earnings, updated U.K. labor market statistics and developments surrounding indirect U.S.-Iran nuclear talks.
At 03:05 ET (08:05 GMT), Germany's DAX index was down 0.1%, France's CAC 40 was up 0.2% and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 had gained 0.3%.
Mining sector results draw attention
Quarterly and full-year results kept investor focus squarely on the mining sector this week, where several large European-listed miners reported significant earnings moves linked to metals prices.
BHP Group (LON:BHPB) posted a half-year underlying profit that exceeded expectations, with copper emerging as the standout contributor. For the first time, earnings from copper outpaced those from iron ore at the world's largest miner, reflecting a surge in copper prices driven in part by demand tied to artificial intelligence-related applications.
Antofagasta (LON:ANTO) reported record earnings for 2025, reporting a sharp rise in both earnings and cash flow as higher realized copper prices and stronger by-product revenues lifted results. The company also disclosed a 30% increase in revenue for the year, driven by those same factors.
Investors are awaiting results this week from the continent's other major miners: Rio Tinto (LON:RIO), Glencore (LON:GLEN) and Anglo American (LON:AAL), alongside Antofagasta, at a moment when prices for the metals they produce have reached new peaks.
Other corporate updates
InterContinental Hotels (LON:IHG) reported a 16% increase in adjusted earnings for 2025. However, the company's Americas division ended the year with revenue per available room down 2% in the fourth quarter - the steepest quarterly decline of the year - as U.S. government and international inbound travel softened.
Spanish gas grid operator Enagas (BME:ENAG) said it returned to profit in 2025 and exceeded its financial targets. Management cited asset sales, a higher arbitration award tied to its investment in Peru and cost-control measures as supporting the improved results.
U.K. labor market shows signs of softening
New labor market figures for the U.K. released on Tuesday indicated a weakening in the jobs market. The unemployment rate rose to 5.2% in the three months to December, up from 5.1% in the prior three-month period, marking the highest jobless rate since early 2021.
At the same time, annual wage growth in Britain, excluding bonuses, eased to 4.2% in the final three months of 2025, down from 4.4% in the three months to November.
Analysts at Capital Economics commented on the data, writing: "The lack of green shoots of recovery in the labor market and further fall in wage growth supports the idea that the Bank of England has at least a couple more interest rate cuts in its locker, with the chances of the next cut happening in March rather than April edging higher." The note framed the employment and pay trends as increasing the probability of further policy easing.
Market participants were also awaiting the German ZEW economic sentiment index later in the session, with expectations that it would show an improvement in confidence for the Eurozone's largest economy.
Crude prices dip ahead of sensitive talks
Oil markets moved lower on Tuesday as traders balanced the risk of supply disruption related to Iran against reports of diplomacy. Brent futures slipped 0.7% to $68.15 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures rose 0.6% to $63.12 a barrel. Price moves were occurring after a U.S. holiday on Monday, which meant there was no official settlement level for that session.
Indirect talks between the United States and Iran were scheduled to take place in Geneva on Tuesday with the purpose of addressing their long-running nuclear dispute. At the same time, U.S. military planning reportedly included preparations for the possibility of weeks of operations against Iran, and Iran had begun a military drill on Monday in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway for oil exports from Gulf Arab states.
Analyst and market takeaways
Investors remain focused on corporate earnings, especially within the mining complex, where stronger copper pricing and higher by-product revenues are reshaping profit contributions for major producers. The U.K. labor market data and the tone from Capital Economics have fed speculation about the Bank of England's near-term interest rate path, while geopolitical tensions involving Iran continue to influence oil price dynamics.
Note on equity research tools
The article referenced a financial screening tool that evaluates companies, including IHG, across multiple metrics to identify investment ideas. That service uses an automated process to rank stocks based on fundamentals, momentum and valuation criteria.
Summary
European markets traded unevenly as mining-sector earnings, softening U.K. labor figures and U.S.-Iran nuclear discussions shaped investor decisions. Major miners reported strong results tied to higher copper and by-product prices, while the U.K. saw a rising unemployment rate and slower wage growth. Oil prices moved amid concerns about possible supply disruptions and diplomatic outreach in Geneva.