After the slight losses at the start of June, the Dax DE0008469008 is expected to gain slightly again on Tuesday.

One hour before the start of trading, the X-Dax DE000A0C4CA0 signaled an increase of 0.5 percent to 24,040 points for the German leading index.

While it remains well below its record high of almost 24,326 points from the previous week, it is still trading above the 21-day moving average. The DAX briefly approached this average price, which is used to track short-term trends and is currently at 23,744 points, the previous day.

The Eurozone's leading index, the EuroStoxx 50 EU0009658145, is expected to rise 0.3 percent on Tuesday.

Slight support comes from the small gains on the US stock market, which spilled over into trading in Asia this morning. This provides some reassurance in light of the recently somewhat escalated trade conflict between the US and China.

During the negotiations in Istanbul between Ukraine and the aggressor Russia on rapprochement, both sides made clear their positions, which, as expected, are far apart.

Defense stocks were already trading briskly again on Tuesday before the market close. On Tradegate, Rheinmetall DE0007030009 gained a good 1 percent at Xetra closing after a weaker day the previous day. Following the strong price gains of the past few months, the defense company will be included in the Eurozone's leading index, the EuroStoxx 50, in June, replacing luxury goods manufacturer Kering FR0000121485. The changes will take effect on Friday, June 20, after the stock market closes.

In addition, industrial services provider Bilfinger DE0005909006 will be included in the broad European stock index Stoxx Europe 600 EU0009658202, as announced Monday evening by Deutsche Börse subsidiary and index provider Stoxx Ltd. However, Bilfinger did not make any progress on Tradegate premarket trading on Tuesday.

Consumer prices in the eurozone are also in focus this morning. After 2.2 percent in April, inflation is expected to have fallen to 2.0 percent in May, according to Landesbank Baden-Württemberg. Analyst Andreas da Graça cited declining energy prices and the strength of the euro against the US dollar as reasons for the continuing disinflationary trend. The European Central Bank (ECB) is therefore expected to cut its key interest rates by a further 0.25 percentage points on Thursday.