LIVE MARKETS-European shares mostly higher, FTSE leads the way

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EUROPEAN SHARES INCH UP, FTSE LEADS THE WAY

Major European share indexes are mostly higher on Wednesday, helped by rising miners and energy stocks.

The STOXX 600 .STOXX is last up 0.4%. Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE is leading the way, up 1.2%, as softer-than-forecast inflation has pushed gilt yields and the pound lower on expectations that the BoE will cut rates this week.

Britain's blue-chip index generates just 22% of its revenue in the UK, according to Goldman Sachs, so tends to benefit when the pound falls.

Germany's DAX .GDAXI and France's CAC .FCHI are up 0.4% and 0.2%, respectively.

The basic resources sector .SXPP is Europe's biggest gainer in early trade, helped by rising metals prices, with silver XAG= trading at a new record.

Energy shares .SXEP are rising as oil prices LCOc1 have jumped after U.S. President Trump ordered "a total and complete" blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.

Here's your opening snapshot:

(Samuel Indyk)

EARLIER ON LIVE MARKETS:

EUROPE BEFORE THE BELL: FUTURES TICK HIGHER CLICK HERE

UK INFLATION FINAL HURDLE BEFORE BOE VERDICT CLICK HERE