European shares open higher
Twenty minutes into Wednesday’s session, European equities are broadly moving higher, with the pan-European Stoxx 600 gaining 0.45% so far.
Germany’s DAX index is around 0.7% higher, while the French CAC 40 and London’s FTSE 100 were last seen trading 0.4% and 0.3% higher, respectively.
— Chloe Taylor
Global rally
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Aug. 12, 2025.
Spencer Platt | Getty Images
It isn’t just stocks in Europe that are on the rise.
Overnight in Asia, shares have been rallying, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 hitting an all-time high and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Tech Index — home to some of China’s biggest tech firms — adding more than 2%.
That followed a session on Wall Street that saw both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite hit record highs, as U.S. inflation data raised markets’ expectations of a rate cut from the Federal Reserve.
— Chloe Taylor
Opening calls
The U.K.’s Met Office forecasts another public health warning for temperatures reaching 34 degrees Celsius in London, as members of the public cross Westminster Briidge, on Aug. 12 2025.
Richard Baker | In Pictures | Getty Images
Good morning from London, where more sweltering weather is on its way.
Stocks are also looking set to heat up somewhat, with futures tied to the FTSE 100 last seen trading 0.2% higher. Those tied to the German DAX are 0.5% higher, while futures tied to the French CAC 40 are up by 0.4%.
— Chloe Taylor