BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks were trading mixed on Wednesday after a crushing defeat to U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May's EU withdrawal agreement raised hopes that politicians can avoid a no-deal Brexit.
The PM faces a vote of no confidence today, which, if successful, could topple the government and spark a general election.
On surviving the vote of no confidence, she has until January 21 to put forward her Plan B.
Investors also monitored headlines about stimulus plans for the Chinese economy.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 was up 0.3 percent at 349.63 in opening deals after rising 0.4 percent in the previous session.
The German DAX and France's CAC 40 index were also up around 0.3 percent, while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was losing 0.4 percent, hit by a stronger pound.
Oslo-listed Norsk Hydro jumped 5 percent after Brazil's northern state of Para lifted a production embargo on one of its aluminum refineries.
Danish logistics giant DSV rallied 3.3 percent after it launched an unsolicited bid to buy Swiss rival Panalpina for around 4 billion Swiss francs ($4.04 billion).
UniCredit climbed almost 3 percent. The Italian lender said that its non-performing exposure portfolio dropped to 4.3 percent in the third-quarter 2018.
Renault rose half a percent in Paris after reports that the automaker is preparing to replace jailed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn.
JCDecaux advanced 2 percent after it signed an 11-year contract with Rotterdam for analogue and digital advertising street furniture.
ThyssenKrupp fell 2.2 percent in Frankfurt after the European Commission reportedly restarted its investigation into the proposed merger of Tata and ThyssenKrupp's steel operations.
Pearson shares plunged over 6 percent in London. The publishing and education company said it would deliver FY adjusted operating profit in line with guidance.
Consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser fell 2.4 percent. Chief Executive Officer Rakesh Kapoor has indicated his intention to retire by the end of 2019 after more than 8 years as CEO and 32 years at the company.
Bovis Homes soared 4.8 percent. The housebuilder said it expects to deliver a significant step-up in operating margin for 2018, with profits for the year expected to be slightly ahead of market consensus.
In economic releases, German consumer price inflation eased for a second straight month in December to its lowest level in eight months, latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office confirmed.
The consumer price index rose 1.7 percent year-on-year following a 2.3 percent increase in November. The latest inflation figure was the lowest since April, when price growth was 1.6 percent, same as in March.
Britain's annual inflation dropped 2.1 percent in December, the least in almost two years, from 2.3 percent in November, official data showed.
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