Europe open: Stoxx up as US trade deal deadline looms

(Sharecast News) - European shares opened higher on Wednesday as investors eyed the latest on the trade deal front with the US deadline to strike agreements or impose tariffs fast approaching. The pan-regional Stoxx 600 index was up 0.2% at 541 in early deals with major bourses edging ahead.

"Overnight, it was a less positive session for Asian stocks with uncertainty remaining high ahead of the 9 July tariff negotiation deadline, which Donald Trump is claiming he won't extend further," said Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Derren Nathan.

"He's upped the pressure on Japan to come to a deal too, threatening to slap on 30% or 35% import taxes."

In equity news, Sweden's Avanza Bank surged after interim results, while Danish wind turbine makers Vestas and Orsted also jumped on hopes the US tax and spending Bill put forward by President Donald Trump would be less onerous on the sector than originally thought.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com