The FTSE and European stocks were higher on Tuesday with London getting a boost after the lower than expected UK government borrowing figures boosted hopes of tax cuts for consumers.
The FTSE 100 (^FTSE) rose 0.5% to 7,524 points at the open, while the CAC 40 (^FCHI) in Paris gained 0.5% to 7,448 points. In Germany, the DAX (^GDAXI) climbed 0.4% to 16,741. The Stoxx 600 (STOXX) gained 0.3%.
Across the pond, S&P 500 futures (ES=F), Dow futures (YM=F) and Nasdaq futures (NQ=F) were all in the green as trade began in Europe.
UK public sector borrowing rose by £7.8bn in December, about half the borrowing made in the same month in 2022, according to the Office for National Statistics on Tuesday. It is the lowest for the month borrowing since 2019 and significantly lower than the £14bn expected by the Office for Budget Responsibility.
Read more: UK public debt slows and raises hopes for tax cuts
In Wall Street, US stocks edged higher on Monday, with the S&P 500 and Dow notching another…
