European equities open higher before US inflation data

Europe's stock markets ticked higher at the open on Wednesday with all eyes on the release of US inflation data for a steer on Federal Reserve interest rate policy.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index of leading blue-chip companies added 0.6 per cent to stand at 7,979.51 points, boosted also by news of soaring annual profit at UK supermarket giant Tesco.

In the eurozone, the Paris CAC 40 index rose 0.5 percent to 8,092.15 points and DAX in Frankfurt increased 0.7 percent to 18,210.42.