European stocks mixed ahead of central bank meetings

European stock markets mostly held steady earlier on Tuesday as investors tread cautiously ahead of upcoming central bank meetings despite signs of economic recovery in China.

Data released on Tuesday morning showed that China’s economy had continued to show progress in August, with retail sales increasing by 0.5% year-on-year and a 45.6% increase in industrial production.

Germany’s DAX inched up by 0.4%, while France’s CAC futures fell by 0.1%. FTSE futures in the UK lost 0.4%.

Investors are currently eyeing policy meetings from central banks, with the U.S. Federal Reserve starting with a two-day meeting starting in Tuesday. The Bank of Japan and the Bank of England are expected to announce their policy decisions on Thursday.