Markets were higher in Europe to end the week.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was up 0.62 percent to 1,582.48.

In Paris, the CAC-40 was 0.67 percent higher to 5,843.24 while the Dax added 0.73 percent to 8,002.18 in Frankfurt and Madrid’s IBEX jumped 1.18 percent to 14,892.1.

The automobile manufacturing sector was higher.

BMW (FWB: BMW) was up 1.82 percent to €39.26, while Renault (Euronext: RNO) gained 2.11 percent to €111.36.

Volkswagen (FWB: VOW; OTC: VLKAY) added 4.38 percent to €168.17 on rumors that Porsche (FWB: POR3) could add to its stake in VW.

The steel sector also saw gains.

Mittal Steel (Euronext: MT; NYSE: MT) had the best day on the CAC-40 with a gain of 2.7 percent to €55.20, while steel products manufacturer Vallourec (Euronext: VK) was up 1.38 percent to €206.93.

Financial planners MLP (FWB: MLP) was the best performer on the Dax as it added 5.62 percent to €11.41.

Construction materials group Lafarge (Euronext: LG; NYSE: LR) gained 1.4 percent to €117.15, but builder Vinci (Euronext: DG) dropped 0.49 percent to €54.87.

The worst performance on the CAC-40 came from Lagardere (Euronext: MMB) with a decline of 1.47 percent to €58.48.

Meanwhile, chipmaker Infineon (FWB: IFX; NSYE: IFX) had the worst day on the Dax, falling 2.28 percent to €11.15.

In Europe, equities markets were higher on Wednesday.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 0.65 percent higher to 1,539.28. Frankfurt’s Dax was up 0.45 percent to 7,804.15, while the CAC-40 added 0.87 percent to 5,690.77 and the IBEX jumped 1.59 percent to 14,540.5 in Madrid.

Utilities saw gains.

In Frankkfurt, RWE (FWB: RWE) and Eon (FWB: EOA; LSE: EON; NSYE: EON) both had their target share prices increased by JP Morgan Chase (NYSE: JPM; TYO: 8634).

Eon was 1.26 percent higher to €129.44, while RWE was up 1.72 percent to €88.26.

EDF (Euronext: EEN) added 1.77 percent to €74.24 and Suez (Euronext: SZE; NYSE: SZE) gained 2.43 percent to €40.88, while Gaz de France (Euronext: GAZ) jumped 2.98 percent to €35.99.

IT group Cap Gemini (Euronext: CAP) had the best day on the CAC-40 with a gain of 5.93 percent to €42.70, while stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse (FWB: DB1) turned in the best performance on the Dax as it added 3.44 percent to €96.86.

Banks were mixed, with BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) down 0.05 percent to €74.26 but Dexia (Euronext: DEXB) 1.68 percent higher to €21.21.

The automobile manufacturing sector was also mixed.

Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) dropped 0.33 percent to €57.11 while BMW (FWB: BMW) was up 3.37 percent to €38.16.

The chemicals sector declined in Frankfurt.

BASF (FWB: BFA; NYSE: BF) was 1.05 percent lower to €96.64, while Altana (FWB: ALT; NYSE: AAA) had the worst day on the Dax as it dropped 1.21 percent to €17.11.

Hotels operator Accor (Euronext: AC) declined the most on the CAC-40 as it fell 0.68 percent to €60.19.

European markets were mixed on the session.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was up, but only by 0.01 percent, or one-fifth of a point, to 1,546.48.

Madrid’s IBEX added 0.32 percent to 14,497.6, but the Dax dropped 0.08 percent to 7,787.92 in Frankfurt, while the Paris CAC-40 fell 0.14 percent to 5,692.49.

Banks were lower after Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE: DB) was expected to have to write off as much as €1.7 billion (£1.2 billion; $2.4 billion) because of its exposure in the current credit mess.

Deutsche Bank was down 1.8 percent to €90.24, while Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) was the worst performer on the Dax as it dropped 4.34 percent to €28.44.

Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) was 1.35 percent lower to €118.96, while BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) fell 2.27 percent to €75.32.

In the semiconductors sector, Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX) was down 3 percent to €11.68.

Schneider Electric (Euronext: SCHN) was the worst performer on the CAC-40 as it fell 3.59 percent to €91.27 on a downgrade from Citigroup (NYSE: C).

Stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse (FWB: DB1) had the best day on the Dax, adding 3.67 percent to €93.80, while utility EDF (Euronext: EEN) turned in the best performance on the CAC-40 with a gain of 2.86 percent to €72.56.

The steel sector saw gains.

ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA; NYSE: THK) was up 0.82 percent to €44.43, while Mittal Steel (Euronext: MT; NYSE: MT) was 1.53 percent higher to €54.95 and steel products manufacturer Vallourec (Euronext: VK) gained 1.04 percent to €203.83.

Carmakers were also higher.

Renault (Euronext: RNO) was up 1.03 percent to €101.03, while BMW (FWB: BMW) added 3.64 percent to €37.03.

In Europe, equities markets managed gains on Friday, but not always enough to gain back Thursday’s losses.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.47 percent to 1,546.53.

In Paris the CAC-40 gained 0.21 percent to 5,700.65, while Madrid’s IBEX was 0.22 percent higher to 14,459 and the Dax was 0.77 percent higher to 7,794.43 in Frankfurt.

Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) was the best performer on the Dax with a gain of 4.13 percent to €29.31, but the banking sector was mixed as Dexia (Euronext: DEXB) dropped 0.98 percent to €21.31.

Meanwhile on the CAC-40, Mittal Steel (Euronext: MT; NYSE: MT) topped the leaders, adding 3.72 percent to €54.12.

Elsewhere in the sector, ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA; LSE: THK) was up 2.91 percent to €44.23.

Steel products manufacturer Vallourec (Euronext: VK) was 2.36 percent higher to €201.74.

Carmakers saw gains.

BMW (FWB: BMW) added 2.97 percent to €35.73, while Renault (Euronext: RNO) climbed 3.31 percent to €100.

On the other hand, truck manufacturer Man (FWB: EDF1) was 1.36 percent lower to €104.96.

The worst performer on the day on the CAC-40 came from drinks maker Pernod-Ricard (Euronext: RI), which added 2.5 percent to €147.76.

Pharmaceuticals group Bayer (FWB: BAY; NYSE: BAY; TYO: 4863) had the best day on the Dax with a gain of 4.23 percent to €56.55.

Utilities were lower on the session.

RWE (FWB: RWE) was 0.52 percent lower to €86.22, while Gaz de France (Euronext: GAZ) was down 0.77 percent to €34.88 and EDF (Euronext: EEN) dropped 1.71 percent to €70.54.

Airlines saw losses again. Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) slipped 0.56 percent to €19.52, while Air France (Euronext: AF; NYSE: AKH) fell 1.87 percent to €24.73.

Equities markets in Europe were lower on the session.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 fell 0.63 percent to 1,539.89.

In Frankfurt the Dax was 0.19 percent lower to 7,735.09, while Madrid’s IBEX was down 0.47 percent to 14,427.1 and the Paris CAC-40 dropped 0.73 percent to 5,688.76.

Vinci (Euronext: DG) had the best day on the CAC-40, where the construction group added 1.12 percent to €53.19.

Also in the sector Bouygues (Euronext: EN), with interests in both construction and media, gained 0.22 percent to €60.

In the related building materials sector, however, Lafarge (Euronext: LG; NYSE: LR) dropped 2.28 percent to 109.90.

The worst performance on the CAC-40 came from the utilities sector, where EDF (Euronext: EEN) was 3.34 percent lower to €71.77, but the sector was mixed as RWE (FWB: RWE) added 0.8 percent to €86.28.

Retailer Metro (FWB: MEO) had the best day on the Dax as it gained 6.21 to €66.54.

Stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse (FWB: DB1) was up 1.96 percent to €88.47.

The worst performance on the Dax came from financial planners MLP (FWB: MLP) with a decline of 2.79 percent to €9.78.

Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE: DB) dropped 2.04 percent to €92.38.

Airlines and carmakers were both lower.

Air France (Euronext: AF; NYSE: AKH) was down 3.23 percent to €25.20, while Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) was 1.5 percent lower to €19.66.

Carmaker BMW (FWB: BMW) dropped 1.42 percent to €34.49 and Renault (Euronext: RNO) fell 1.63 percent to €96.80.

European markets were higher on Tuesday after Monday’s declines.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 1.54 percent to 1,509.

The Dax was up 1.27 percent to 7,575.21 in Frankfurt, while the Paris CAC-40 gained 2.02 percent to 5,549.35 and Madrid’s IBEX was 2.52 percent higher to 14,042.

The best performance on the CAC-40 was construction group Vinci (Euronext: DG), with a gain of 4.53 percent to €50.54.

Spain’s construction sector did even better.

Sacyr Vallehermoso (IBEX-35: VAL) was up 4.9 percent to €24.09, while Actividades de Construccion y Servicios (IBEX-35: ACS) added 5.7 percent to €34.81 after a broker upgrade from “accumulate” to “buy”.

In a related sector, construction materials group Lafarge (Euronext: LG; NYSE: LR) was 3.4 percent higher to €108.33.

The steel sector saw gains.

Mittal Steel (Euronext: MT; NYSE: MT) gained 2.96 percent to €49.36, while ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA; LSE: THK) was up 3.62 percent to €41.46 for the best performance on the Dax.

Banks made gains.

Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE: DB) added 2.47 percent to €90.36, while BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) was 3.11 percent higher to €74.19 and Credit Agricole (Euronext: ACA) gained 3.25 percent to €27.31.

Motor vehicle manufacturers were mixed on the Dax.

Truck maker Man (FWB: EDF1) was up 3.44 percent to €103.55, but BMW (FWB: BMW) dropped 0.38 percent to €34.41.

Utilities were slightly lower on the session.

EDF (Euronext: EEN) fell 0.12 percent to €74.05, while Eon (FWB: EOA; NYSE: EON; LSE: EON) was down 0.73 percent to €125.97.

IT services group Cap Gemini (Euronext: CAP) had the worst day on the CAC-40 as it dropped 1.57 percent to €40.20, while financial planners MLP (FWB: MLP) was the worst performer on the Dax with a decline of 1.27 percent to €10.12.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 1.02 percent higher to 6,363.9 as European markets made gains on Thursday.

Madrid’s IBEX gained 0.7 percent to 14,077.8, the Dax added 0.84 percent to 7,535.97, and the Paris CAC-40 was up 1.05 percent to 5,565.97.

Steel-related shares were higher.

ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA; LSE: THK) gained 1.97 percent to €40.87, while Mittal Steel (Euronext: MT; NYSE: MT) was up 4.6 percent to €48.20.

ThyssenKrupp’s gains came after it said it has won a new elevators contract in London and after ABN Amro (Euronext: AAB; NYSE: ABN) raised the steel-maker’s target share price.

Meanwhile, steel products manufacturer Vallourec was the best performer on the CAC-40 as it added 4.82 percent to €191.26.

Utilities were higher.

RWE (FWB: RWE) was 1.37 percent higher to €81.73, while EDF (Euronext: EEN) gained 1.54 percent to €72.40.

In the media sector, Vivendi (Euronext: VIV) was up 2.17 to €29.70 and Lagardere (Euronext: MMB) added 4.65 percent to €60.31.

The best performance on the day on the Dax came from stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse (FWB: DB1) which gained 3.33 percent to €81.07 after it said it would not buy into the London Stock Exchange.

On the negative side of the ledger, financial planner MLP (FWB: MLP) had the worst day on the Dax with a decline of 1.42 percent to €11.09.

The worst performance on the CAC-40 came from telecommunications group Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext: ALU; NYSE: ALU; TYO: 6687), which dropped 8.69 percent to €6.62.

Carmakers saw declines, with Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) falling 0.75 percent to €55.70 and BMW (FWB: BMW) down 0.97 percent to €34.75.

The semiconductors sector was also lower.

Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX) dropped 0.42 percent to €11.76, while STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) was 2.98 percent lower to €12.06.

European markets were higher Wednesday.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.22 percent to 1,510.28.

Madrid’s IBEX was 0.11 percent higher to 13,980.4, while the Dax gained 0.2 percent to 7,472.99 and the CAC-40 was up 0.53 percent to 5,508.01.

The best performer on the CAC-40 was media and construction conglomerate Bouygues (Euronext: EN) with a gain of 4.21 percent to €59.45 on possible interest from an Egyptian telecommunications company and possible contracts news.

Healthcare group Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG) had the best day on the Dax as it added 3.2 percent to €37.28.

Other gainers included property developer and investor Unibail (Euronext: UL), which was 1.87 percent higher to €174.18.

Foods manufacturer Groupe Danone (Euronext: BN; NYSE: DA) was up 1.65 percent to €55.37.

Truck maker Man (FWB: EDF1) advanced 1.68 percent to €102.04, but carmakers did not do as well.

Peugeot (Euronext UG; OTC: PEUGY) fell 0.76 percent to €56.12, while BMW (FWB: BMW) was down 1.57 percent to €34.82.

Utilities were mixed on the session.

Eon (FWB: EOA; LSE: EON; NYSE: EON) was up 1.91 percent to €123.76, but Gaz de France (Euronext: GAZ) dropped 0.56 percent to €33.46.

Banks were also mixed.

BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) added 0.9 percent to €74.18 but Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) was 1.12 percent lower to €28.10.

The semiconductors sector was down on the session.

STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) fell 0.8 percent to €12.43, while Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX) was down 1.83 percent to €11.84.

Airlines were the biggest losers on both the Dax and the CAC-40.

Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) dropped 3.45 percent to €19.84 and Air France (Euronext: AF; NYSE: AKH) was 3.35 percent lower to €26.80.

European markets were higher on the session, more than making up Monday’s declines.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 1.71 percent to 1,507.29.

The Dax was up 1.12 percent to 7,457.9 in Frankfurt, while the Paris CAC-40 gained 1.72 percent to 5,478.94 and Madrid’s IBEX was 1.74 percent higher to 13,965.5.

The CAC-40 and the Dax each only saw two stocks decline on the day.

In Paris, Air France (Euronext: AF; NYSE: AKH) was 0.07 percent lower to €27.73, while Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext: ALU; NYSE: ALU; TYO: 6687) was the worst performer there with a decline of 0.54 percent to €7.30.

In Frankfurt, meanwhile, pharmaceuticals group Schering (FWB: SCH) dropped 0.09 percent to €104.46. Deutsche Post (FWB: DPW; LSE: DPO) had the worst day on the Dax as it fell 0.19 percent to €20.89.

The best performer on the Dax was stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse (FWB: DB1), which added 3.83 percent to €78.96.

Meanwhile power generator and manufacturer Alstom (Euronext: ALO) did the best on the CAC-40, where it gained 6.47 percent to €136.06.

Steel-related shares did well in Paris.

Mittal Steel (Euronext: MT; NYSE: MT) was 3.35 percent higher to €46.64, while steel products manufacturer Vallourec (Euronext: VK) was up 4.22 percent to €184.31.

Carmakers saw gains.

BMW (FWB: BMW) gained 2.14 percent to €35.62, while Renault (Euronext: RNO) added 3.43 percent to €92.80.

Chemicals group Altana (FWB: ALT; NYSE: AAA) was 2.15 percent higher to €17.60.

European markets were significantly lower on the session.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 fell 2.29 percent to 1,492.66.

The IBEX dropped 2.29 percent to 13,873.4 in Madrid, while in Frankfurt the Dax was down 2.43 percent to 7,436.63 and the CAC-40 was 2.63 percent lower in Paris.

There were no gainers on the CAC-40 on the session, while property group Unibail (Euronext: UL) dropped 5.99 percent to €168.52 for the worst performance on that index.

There were only three winners on the Dax.

The best performer was Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG) with a gain of 1.12 percent to €36.01.

In the pharmaceuticals sector, Schering (FWB: SCH) was up 0.44 percent to €104.30, while software group SAP (FWB: SAP; NYSE: SAP) added 0.27 percent to €40.40.

The worst performer on the Dax was Commerzbank (FWB: CBK), which dropped 5.20 percent to €28.57.

In the Paris banking sector, Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) fell 3.91 percent to €113.90.

The car and truck manufacturing sector was lower on the session.

BMW (FWB: BMW) was down 3.64 percent to €35.49, while Renault (Euronext: RNO) dropped 4.28 percent to €90.47 and truck maker Man (FWB: EDF1) was 4.61 percent lower to €100.74.

Aerospace group EADS (Euronext: EAD; FWB: EAD) fell 4.49 percent to €20.23.

Schneider Electric was down 4.3 percent to €92.89. Construction materials group Lafarge (Euronext: LG; NYSE: LR) dropped 3.85 percent to €107.50.