The pan-European Stoxx 600 opened 0.4 percent higher with most sectors in the positive territory. Banks were at the top of the index, up more than 1 percent. This was led by gains in banks stocks of RBS, Barclays and Lloyds on the back of changes to the Brexit deal.

· The pound jumped and Asian shares rallied on Tuesday after the European Commission agreed to changes in a Brexit deal ahead of a vote in the British parliament on a divorce agreement.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS was up 1.08 percent, with early gains reinforced by a rise in Chinese shares and oil companies, which were buoyed by higher oil prices.

European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker agreed to additional assurances in an updated Brexit deal with British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday, but warned UK lawmakers would not get a third chance to endorse it.

The pound was up 0.5 percent, buying $1.3215 and taking its gains over two days to more than 1.5 percent.

· Japan’s Nikkei share average surged to a six-day high on Tuesday, as a combination of a tech-led rally on Wall Street, gains in Asian markets and extended falls in the yen led to broad-based buying.

The Nikkei ended the day up 1.8 percent at 21,503.69 after brushing 21,568.48, its highest since March 6.

· China stocks ended higher on Tuesday as Beijing and Washington appeared to edge closer to a trade deal, but worries about economic headwinds at home tamed the market’s rise.

At the close, the Shanghai Composite index was up 1.1 percent at 3,060.31 points, while the blue-chip CSI300 index was up 0.7 percent.

Reference: Reuters, CNBC