European stocks mixed

Europe's main stock markets closed mixed on Wednesday, and the dollar slid, as data revealed a slump to US growth, while traders awaited the outcome of the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting. London’s FTSE 100 index of leading companies added 0.15 per cent to end at 6,780.03 points. Frankfurt’s DAX 30 gained 0.20% to 9,603.23 points and in Paris the CAC 40 shed 0.23% to 4,487.39.
- Alstom shares gain -
In Paris, the battle for Alstom’s prized energy business heated up, as the board of the French ‘national jewel’ said it was in favour of an offer by US giant General Electric while Germany's Siemens upped its rival bid. The US and German behemoths have been publicly vying for Alstom’s energy assets for days in a politically sensitive battle over the French engineering group. Alstom’s share price soared 9.33% to 29.52 euros as trading resumed on Wednesday after a suspension. Across in Frankfurt, Siemens’ share price added 0.90% to 95 euros. Separately, Siemens also revealed it was in talks with Rolls-Royce over a possible acquisition of the British firm’s energy production arm. In London, Rolls-Royce shares won 2.84% to stand at 1,050 pence. Royal Dutch Shell jumped 3.66% to 2,520 pence as a shareholder dividend hike eclipsed news of slumping first-quarter profits.
- Asia trades mixed -
Hong Kong shares sank 1.42% on Wednesday as investors braced for the Fed to announce more stimulus cuts. Shanghai added 0.30% on the last day of a holiday-shortened week, according to AFP.