European shares firm
Tuesday, 17 July 2007
LONDON, July 16 (AFP): Europe's main stock markets mainly rose as investors seized on the latest developments in the multi-billion-euro takeover battle for control of Dutch lender ABN Amro, dealers said Monday.
They also kept an eye on surging oil prices, as the price of London's Brent North Sea crude surged close to a record high above US$78 dollars per barrel.
The British capital's FTSE 100 index of leading shares eased 0.05 per cent to 6,713.60 points, while in Paris the CAC 40 gained 0.03 per cent to 6,119.60 and Frankfurt's DAX 30 added 0.19 per cent to 8,108.00.
The DJ Euro Stoxx 50 index of top eurozone shares advanced 0.23 per cent to 4,553.10 points.
The euro stood at 1.3796, not far off its record high above $1.38 dollars.
Before the weekend, Wall Street lifted to a second straight day of record highs Friday, riding momentum from a powerful rally a day earlier as investors shrugged off a weak US retail spending report and a spike in oil prices.
In Europe Monday, the banking sector was in focus.
Britain's Royal Bank of Scotland said it had increased the cash part of its 71.1-billion-euro consortium bid for ABN Amro in an attempt to beat a rival offer from Barclays.
They also kept an eye on surging oil prices, as the price of London's Brent North Sea crude surged close to a record high above US$78 dollars per barrel.
The British capital's FTSE 100 index of leading shares eased 0.05 per cent to 6,713.60 points, while in Paris the CAC 40 gained 0.03 per cent to 6,119.60 and Frankfurt's DAX 30 added 0.19 per cent to 8,108.00.
The DJ Euro Stoxx 50 index of top eurozone shares advanced 0.23 per cent to 4,553.10 points.
The euro stood at 1.3796, not far off its record high above $1.38 dollars.
Before the weekend, Wall Street lifted to a second straight day of record highs Friday, riding momentum from a powerful rally a day earlier as investors shrugged off a weak US retail spending report and a spike in oil prices.
In Europe Monday, the banking sector was in focus.
Britain's Royal Bank of Scotland said it had increased the cash part of its 71.1-billion-euro consortium bid for ABN Amro in an attempt to beat a rival offer from Barclays.