European markets saw declines on Wednesday.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 0.56 percent lower to 1,549.26.

In Frankfurt the Dax dropped 0.18 percent to 7,828.96 and in Paris the CAC-40 was down 0.53 percent to 5,674.67, while Madrid’s IBEX fell 1.29 percent to 15,231.3.

Banks were hurt by the report on Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER; TYO: 8675) writedowns.

Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE: DB) was 0.7 percent lower to €87.24, while BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) was down 1.4 percent to €73.45 and Dexia (Euronext: DEXB) dropped 1.51 percent to €21.48.

Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) fell 1.78 percent to €111.82, UBS (SWX: USBN; NYSE: UBS; TYO: 8657) was 1.8 percent lower to SFr62.65, and Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) was down 2.76 percent to €28.38.

Truck makers were mixed.

Man (FWB: EDF1) dropped 1.69 percent to €120.43, while Volvo (OMXS: VOLV A, VOLV B; NAS: VOLV) added 5.2 percent to kr122 on a higher production estimate.

Carmakers were higher, with Volkswagen (FWB: VOW; OTC: VLKAY) adding 1.66 percent to €172.62 after a change in the law made it more likely that Porsche (FWB: POR3) will make a full-on takeover bid.

Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) was up 0.11 percent to €56.54.

Utilities were up in Frankfurt.

Eon (FWB: EOA; NYSE: EON; LSE: EON) was 1.34 percent higher to €133.03, while RWE (FWB: RWE) gained 1.62 percent to €94.64.

Most European markets were lower again on Friday, with IBEX again the notable exception with a gain of 0.15 percent to 15,529.7.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 dropped 0.56 percent to 1,564.44, while the CAC-40 was down 0.46 percent to 5,740.48 in Paris and the Dax was 0.47 percent lower to 7,884.12 in Frankfurt.

The biggest gainer on the Dax was Volkswagen (FWB: VOW; OTC: VLKAY), which added 1.1 percent to €177.98.

Truck maker Man (FWB: EDF1) was 0.86 percent higher to €123.11.

Both are still up on bids rumors.

Elsewhere in the sector, however, Peugeot (Euronext UG; OTC: PEUGY) was down 2.4 percent to €56.63 and Renault (Euronext: RNO) was 2.42 percent lower to €106.05.

Some banks were lower on the resurgence of worries about the credit markets.

BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) dropped 1.25 percent to €75.67 and Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) fell 2.24 percent to €30.08. Insurers also saw declines.

Axa (Euronext: CS; NYSE: AXA) was down 1.31 percent to €30.08, while Allianz (FWB: ALV; NYSE: AZ) was 2.39 percent lower to €155.73.

Steel products manufacturer Vallourec (Euronext: VK) added 1.13 percent to €209.66 on rumors that Russia’s Gazprom (RTS: GAZP; MICEX: GAZP; LSE: OGZD) is interested in buying a stake in Vallourec from Groupe Bollore (Euronext: BOL), a holding company with interestes in logistics, paper, and plastics.

The best performer on the CAC-40 was aerospace and defense group EADS (Euronext: EAD; FWB: EAD) with a gain of 3.6 percent to €23.86.

Markets were lower in Europe on the session Monday.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 0.3 percent lower to 1,580.11.

In Paris, the CAC-40 dropped 0.24 percent to 5,829.4, while the Dax was down 0.35 percent to 7,974.37.

Madrid’s IBEX fell 0.56 percent to 14,809.

Software company SAP (FWB: SAP; NYSE: SAP) dropped 4.04 percent to €39.83 after it said it would pay €4.9 billion for rival Business Objects (Euronext: BOB; NAS: BOBJ), which gained 17 percent to €41.07.

On the other hand, Alstom (Euronext: ALO) was the biggest gainer on the CAC-40, adding 2.39 percent to €152.77 on the news that builder Bouygues (Euronext: EN) had raised its stake in the manufacturer and power generator, spurring speculation that a takeover is in the works.

Banks were mixed.

While Dexia (Euronext: DEXB) added 0.53 percent to €22.79, BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) was down 0.74 percent to €81.80 and Credit Agricole (Euronext: ACA) dropped 1.18 percent to €28.42.

Utilities were mixed as well, with EDF (Euronext: EEN) 0.65 percent higher to €74.56 but Suez (Euronext: SZE; NYSE: SZE) falling 0.72 percent to €41.41.

Volkswagen (FWB: VOW; OTC: VLKAY) had the best day on the Dax as it added 1.94 percent to €171.45.

Elsewhere in the sector, Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) was up 0.37 percent to €60.16.

The biggest decliner on the Dax was financial planners MLP (FWB: MLP), which dropped 4.36 percent to €10.95, while Air France (Euronext AF; NYSE: AKH) had the worst day on the CAC-40 as it fell 2.98 percent to €28.29.

European markets were mixed Friday in the last trading session of the week.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 fell 0.1 percent to 1,549.87, and while the Dax added 0.1 percent to 7,861.51 in Frankfurt, the IBEX fell 0.03 percent to 14,576.5 in Madrid and the Paris CAC-40 dropped 0.31 percent to 5,715.69.

The semiconductors sector made gains as STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) was 0.77 percent higher to €11.79 and Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX) was up 2.72 percent to €12.06.

The telecommunications sector also saw gains as Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext: ALU; NYSE: ALU; TYO: 6687) turned in the best performance of the day on the CAC-40, gaining 4.35 percent to €7.20.

France Telecom (Euronext: FTE; NYSE: FTE) was up 0.69 percent to €23.49.

Banks were mixed.

BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) added 0.56 percent to €76.74, but Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) was 2.06 percent lower to €117.68.

Airlines declined on the session.

Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) dropped 0.88 percent to €20.24, while Air France (Euronext: AF; NYSE: AKH) fell 1.42 percent to €25.77.

Financial planners MLP (FWB: MLP) had the best day on the Dax, adding 3.43 percent to €9.37, while truck maker Man (FWB: EDF1) was the worst performer of the day there, falling 1.98 percent to €102.48.

Manufacturer and power generation specialist Alstom (Euronext: ALO) had the worst day on the CAC-40 as it dropped 4.09 percent to €142.57.

Europe’s markets saw gains on Thursday.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 0.72 percent higher to 1,550.68.

In Madrid, the IBEX gained 0.48 percent to 14,582.9.

The Dax was up 0.64 percent to 7,853.79, while the Paris CAC-40 added 0.75 percent to 5,733.37.

Airlines were higher, with Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) turning in the best performance on the Dax as it added 2.67 percent to €20.34. Air France was also higher, gaining 4.27 percent to €26.14.

Banks saw gains, with Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) up 1.84 percent to €120.16 and BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) as it added 2.76 percent to €76.31.

Insurer Allianz (FWB: FWB: ALV; NYSE: AZ) was up 1.86 percent to €163.46.

Manufacturer Saint-Gobain (Euronext: SGO) had the best day on the CAC-40, gaining 5.21 percent to €73.09.

Carmakers were mixed.

Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) was 1.79 percent higher to €58.13 and Renault (Euronext: RNO) was up 1.87 percent to €101.77, but BMW (FWB: BMW) dropped 1.36 percent to €37.74.

In the semiconductors sector, STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) was down 0.85 percent to €11.70, while software maker SAP (FWB: SAP; NYSE: SAP) was 1 percent lower to €40.75.

Financial planners MLP (FWB: MLP) had the worst day on the Dax as it dropped 2.48 percent to €9.04.

Meanwhile, food processor Groupe Danone (Euronext: BN; NYSE: DA) had the worst performance on the CAC-40, falling 1.63 percent to €56.

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.

Banks began to recover in Europe as the markets there saw big gains.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 2.73 percent higher to 1,550.62.

Frankfurt’s Dax gained 2.32 percent to 7,750.84, while the IBEX added 3.19 percent to 14,487.8 in Madrid and the Paris CAC-40 was up 3.27 percent to 5,730.82.

Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) topped the leaders on the Dax with a gain of 5.51 percent to €28.91, while Deutsche Bank was 4.27 percent higher to €94.19.

In Paris, BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO; 8665) was up 5.14 percent to €78 and Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) jumped 6.88 percent to €121.31.

Insurers also did well.

Allianz (FWB: ALV; NYSE: AZ) gained 4.17 percent to €157.97, while AXA (Euronext: CS; NYSE: AXA) was up 5.42 percent to €30.33.

The best performance on the CAC-40, however, came from Michelin (Euronext: ML), which was 7.03 percent higher to €90.57.

The tire maker was helped by the Fed’s decision to cut interest rates in the US, which is its biggest market.

There was only one loser on the day on the CAC-40, where eyeglass lens maker Essilor International (Euronext: EF) dropped 0.16 percent to €43.19.

The worst performance on the Dax came from the health care sector as Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG) fell 0.77 percent to €37.29.

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.

European markets declined on Friday, hurt by bank troubles in the UK.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 1.07 percent lower to 1,508.11. The Paris CAC-40 dropped 0.49 percent to 5,538.92 and the Dax was down 0.51 percent to 7,497.74 in Frankfurt, while Madrid’s IBEX fell 1.54 percent to 13,861.

Banks on the continent were lower, with Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) leading the losers on the Dax with a decline of 4.05 percent to €27.20.

BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) dropped 1.5 percent to €73.72 and Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) was 2.22 percent lower to €113.50.

IT services group Cap Gemini (Euronext: CAP) was the worst performer on the CAC-40 as it fell 3.93 percent to €41.51.

In the retail sector Metro (FWB: MEO) was 2.25 percent lower to €61.67, while Carrefour (Euronext: CA) dropped 1.28 percent to €48.47.

Air carrier Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) was down 1.81 percent to €19.51.

Gainers on the session included utilities.

Eon (FWB: EOA; LSE: EON; NYSE: EON) added 0.76 percent to €126.27, while RWE (FWB: RWE) gained 0.83 percent to €82.52.

Suez (Eurofirst: SZE; NYSE: SZE) was up 1.41 percent to €38.84, EDF (Eurofirst: EEN) was 1.93 percent higher to €73.80, and Gaz de France advanced 2.26 percent to €34.34.

Manufacturer and power generator Alstom (Euronext: ALO) had the best day on the CAC-40 with a gain of 2.37 percent to €143.32.

Carmakers were mixed on the session.

Volkswagen (FWB: VOW; OTC: VLKAY) added 0.28 percent to €152.32, but Renault (Euronext: RNO) dropped 1.42 percent to €92.76.