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BEFORE THE BELL: MIXED START, L'OREAL MISSES, BARCLAYS UPBEAT

European shares were set for a mixed start on Wednesday, as investors digested a flurry of earnings releases on both sides of the Atlantic, and reacted to UK inflation data that unexpectedly held steady last month, sending the pound lower.

Futures on the export-oriented FTSE 100 .FTSE edged up around 0.3%, while contracts on the EuroSTOXX50 .STOXX50E, DAX .GDAXI and CAC .FCHI indices fell between 0.3% and 0.6%.

L'Oreal OREP.PA was called around 6% lower after the French beauty conglomerate's sales growth missed expectations, although the company flagged improving demand in China.

Barclays BARC.L announced a surprise 500-million pound share buyback and upgraded its performance target for the year.

Eyes were also on chip stocks after Texas Instruments' TXN.O Q4 forecasts missed estimates, stoking fears of a prolonged recovery in the analogue chip market amid murky tariff rules.

Results also came in from Adidas ADSGn.DE, which raised its profit forecast, as well as Reckitt RKT.L, Heineken HEIN.AS, and Hermes HRMS.PA.

(Danilo Masoni)

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EARLIER ON LIVE MARKETS:

INFLATION WILL WIPE AWAY UK'S RATE-CUT BETS CLICK HERE