11:53 AM EST, 02/03/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The European stock markets were mostly lower in late Tuesday trading as the Stoxx Europe and Germany's DAX were little changed, the FTSE 100 was down 0.31%, France's CAC was off 0.12%, and the Swiss Market Index declined 0.35%.

Spain is planning to ban social media for children aged below 16 years old, news outlets reported Tuesday, citing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

Reuters and Bloomberg said the ban would include platforms owned by Snap and Meta Platforms.

According to Bloomberg, the Spanish government plans to enforce the ban by requiring the platforms to implement age verification methods.

Snap and Meta Platforms did not immediately respond to MT Newswires' requests for comments.

In France, annual inflation is expected to rise 0.3% in January, after increasing 0.8% in December, according to provisional estimates from the Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies. The decline was attributed mainly to a sharper decrease in manufactured products prices, which was spurred by a downturn in clothing and footwear prices.

And in corporate news, UBS-owned Credit Suisse could be holding 890 accounts with potential links to the Nazi, which were once used to assist war efforts, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday, citing US Senator Chuck Grassley.

The bank accounts had links to the German Foreign Office, a German arms maker, and the German Red Cross, according to the reports.

UBS did not immediately respond to a request for comment from MT Newswires.

Shares of UBS were off 0.4% in Zurich.

Banco Santander and NatWest Group are considering transferring UK pension assets worth billions of pounds to an insurer, Bloomberg reported Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Banco Santander has held initial discussions to move a portion of its 7.6 billion pounds ($6.83 billion) in UK pension assets, while NatWest Group is in talks with advisers about a sale later this year, the report said. NatWest Group's UK pension assets stood at 29.5 billion pounds at the end of 2024, the report added.

There is no guarantee that any transaction will push through, the report said.

A NatWest spokesperson told MT Newswires that NatWest Group Pension Fund declined to comment, while Banco Santander did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Shares of Banco Santander gained 0.3% in Madrid, while NatWest's stock rose 1.6% in London.

AstraZeneca said Tuesday it expects a decision in H1 this year from the US Food and Drug Administration on its updated application for subcutaneously administered Saphnelo as a treatment for adults with systemic lupus erythematosus, a chronic autoimmune disease.

The FDA issued a complete response letter regarding the biologics license application for subcutaneous Saphnelo, which is already approved in intravenous form.

AstraZeneca said it subsequently provided additional information.

Shares of the British pharmaceutical company were down 1.4% in London.

TotalEnergies said Tuesday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Kuwait Oil related to cooperation on studies of new exploration possibilities in Kuwait.

Under the nonbinding agreement, TotalEnergies said it will provide technical expertise on future projects.

Shares of the French oil and gas company were up 1.7% in Paris.

Eni and Q8 Italy said Tuesday they are making a major investment in the ongoing project for the construction of a new biorefinery in Sicily.

The plan for the construction and operation of the Versalis biorefinery in Sicily's Priolo was approved by Eni and Kuwait Petroleum following an official binding offer submitted by Q8, the companies said.

Shares of Eni were up 0.9% in Milan.

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