Most equities markets in Europe were lower Tuesday, but Madrid’s IBEX was up as it added 0.61 percent to 15,279.70.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 0.77 percent lower to 1,574.68.

The Dax dropped 0.09 percent to 7,962.64 in Frankfurt while the Paris CAC-40 fell 0.57 percent to 5,774.36.

Utilities were higher again.

Gaz de France (Euronext: GAZ) added 0.26 percent to €38.25, while Suez (Euronext: SZE; NYSE: SZE) gained 0.28 percent to €43.05 and EDF (Euronext: EEN) was up 0.89 percent to €78.44.

Meanwhile in Frankfurt, Eon (FWB: EOA; NYSE: EON; LSE: EON) was 2.39 percent higher to €131.91 and RWE (FWB: RWE) jumped 2.48 percent to €92.12 for the best performance on the Dax.

In the oil sector, Total (Euronext: FP; NYSE: TOT) added 1.36 percent to €57.20 as crude oil prices continue to rise.

The automobile manufacturing sector was mixed on the day.

While Renault (Euronext: RNO) gained 0.16 percent to €108.31, Volkswagen (FWB: VOW; OTC: VLKAY) turned in the worst performance of the day on the Dax as it dropped 3.13 percent to €173.78.

The steel sector saw declines as Mittal Steel (Euronext: MT; NYSE: MT) fell 2.23 percent to €53.92 and ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA; LSE: THK) was down 2.89 percent to €43.22.

The biggest loser on the CAC-40 came from the telecommunications sector, where Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext: ALU; NYSE: ALU; TYO: 6687) fell 4.49 percent to €6.59 after a profits warning from rival Ericsson (OMX: ERIC B; NAS: ERIC), which dropped 24 percent to kr20.1 on the day.

Banks were lower in Europe on Wednesday, sending the FTSE Eurofirst 300 down 0.7 percent to 1,477.47. It was the Eurofirst’s lowest close in two weeks.

The energy sector was mixed after the Supreme Court in Spain lifted an injunction that had barred bids for Endsea from Eon and Gas Natural, leaving only one remaining legal hurdle before bids can be offered. Endsea was 2.6 percent higher to €36.37, but Eon dropped 0.2 percent to €96.59 and Gas Natural was 2.1 percent lower to €29.24.

In the banking sector, Erste Bank fell 3.4 percent to €57.55 after Credit Suisse issued a short-term “sell” recommendation on the stock on concerns of immediate concerns about earnings momentum. However, Credit Suisse maintained its overall “neutral” recommendation on the bank. Meanwhile, Raiffeisen International dropped 3.7 percent to €107.46.

There were gains in the semiconductors sector. Infineon added 0.2 percent to €10.96 on an upgraded targets share price from Deutsche Bank based on a better outlook from its wireless unit. STMicroelectronics gained 0.8 percent to €14.65 after an upgrade from “underweight” to “overweight” from Lehman Brothers, which also upped the chipmaker’s target share price.

Among mobile phone manufacturers, Nokia dropped 2.2 percent to €14.63 on a lowered target share price, from €16.50 to €16.30, from Deutsche Bank. Ericsson, on the other hand, received an upgrade from “hold” to “buy” from Deutsche Bank, which also upped its target share price from SKr27.509 to SKr32.50. Still, Ericsson ended the session steady at SKr28.25.

In Europe on Thursday, the FTSE Eurofirst 300 dropped 0.32 percent to 1,441.16 as quarterly reports continue to emerge from various sectors.

Food groups were lower on the session. Nestle said that it saw sales grow by 9.1 percent in the first nine months of the year, which was about what analysts expected, but investors were unhappy with that result, which was lower than the 9 percent sales growth reported by Danone earlier in the week. Danone was 1.6 percent lower to €115, while Nestle dropped 2.5 percent to SFr427.

In the semiconductors sector, declines in the US sent Infineon 2.2 percent lower to €9.85. In another computer-related sector, German software group SAP was hurt by the announcement that it would likely not meet estimates for the full year. Even though it reported that sales were up by 17 percent in the third quarter, SAP dropped 3.1 percent on the session to €159.45. Even though its outlook was disappointing, both Dresdner Kleinwort and WestLB maintained their recommendations of “buy” and “hold”, respectively on the software maker.

In the telecommunications sector, Nokia was 3.6 percent lower to €15.36. While the Finnish phone maker’s sales were up during the third quarter, its earnings were lower than had been forecast. Elsewhere in the sector, Ericsson added 1.7 percent to SKr27.05 as its joint venture with Sony helped group profits rise.

Other gainers on the session included tire maker Michelin, which added 3.3 percent to €61.65 on an increased targets share price from Dresdner Kleinwort. In addition, Swiss pharmaceuticals company Novartis was 2.2 percent higher to SFr75.45 on net profits that were 12 percent higher in the third quarter.

In a week that saw focus on two long-term stories of merger attempts, the FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.3 percent on Friday to close at 1,440.78 for a total gain of 2 percent over the week.

Both Banca Intesa and Sanpaolo IMI saw gains after both companies’ boards of directors approved the merger on Thursday. Sanpaolo gained 1 percent during the week to €17.14, while Intesa added 3.6 percent to €5.46. But France’s Credit Agricole, which said on Wednesday that it supports the Intesa/Sanpaolo deal, dropped 4.6 percent to €34. The gains for Intesa and Sanpaolo came despite a downgrade for both banks Italian banks from Credit Suisse.

In another merger saga, MAN upped its bid for Scania during the week. Both Scania and shareholder Investor rejected the offer. It appeared that Volkswagen, however, which has been blocking the deal in favor of a three-way merger between itself, Scania and MAN, has changed its mind and will support the MAN/Scania merger. Scania’s A shares added 3.3 percent to SKr490 over the week. MAN was up 3.6 percent to €70.26.

In the telecommunications sector, Ericsson B shares were 6 percent higher during the week to SKr27.35 after its joint venture to manufacture cell phones with Sony posted a profit margin of 14.8 percent.

Despite a round of profit-taking on Wednesday, the FTSE Eurofirst 300 was still 0.1 percent higher on the session to close at 1,425.39.

Banks were mixed on the day. Gainers include Italian banks Banca Intesa and Sanpaolo IMI as well as Societe Generale. Intesa and Sanpaolo were both higher after Credit Agricole said that it would support the proposed merger between the two Italian banks. Intesa was 1.3 percent higher to €5.61, while Sanpaolo gained 1.4 percent to €17.91. Societe Generale added 2.5 percent to €129.60.

Credit Agricole itself, however, dropped 5.1 percent to €33.70 on the support announcement and after it said it was thinking about a rights issue worth €4 billion for the first part of next year in order to fund the purchase of 600 Intesa branches. Dresdner Kleinwort, UBS, and ABN Amro all issued downgrades on Agricole.

Other banks seeing declines on the session included Raiffeisen International, which fell 0.6 percent to €88, Erste Bank, down 1.7 percent to €51.09, and Natexis Banque Populaire, which dropped 4.1 percent to €225.

The telecommunications sector saw gains on the day. Ericsson B shares added 4.6 percent to SKr27.30 on the news that its joint venture in the manufacture of handsets with Sony produced double the best estimates of pre-tax profits in the third quarter. Telecom Italia was 4.3 percent higher to €2.33 on a report that a French-Polish financier has purchased shares in the company. Bids rumors sent Deutsche Telekom up 2.6 percent to €12.77.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 0.1 percent higher on Monday to 1,374.02 as the car and truck manufacturing sector was again in the news. Swedish stocks were generally higher after an election there, sending Stockholm’s OMX 30 index 0.7 percent higher for the session.

As expected German truckmaker MAN made a bid for Swedish rival Scania. Scania, however, rejected the bid, worth €9.6 billion in cash and shares, in concert with major shareholders Volkswagen and Investor. Shares in MAN dropped 5.3 percent on the news, to €60.61, while Scania’s B shares were 5.9 percent higher to SKr449.50. Investor B shares added 0.7 percent to SKr154, while Volkswagen ended the session even at €65. Renault, which said that it had sold its Scania shares to MAN, dropped 1.8 percent to €88.15. Outside the MAN/Scania situation but still in the sector, DaimlerChrysler fell 0.8 percent to €38.85 after a 5.6 percent decline on Friday after it cut its operating profits forecast for the year.

Swedish companies that saw gains due to the post-election bounce included TeliaSonera, up 1.1 percent to SKr45.70 on speculation that the new center-right government, which owns 45.3 percent in the telecom operator, could sell its stake. Nordea Bank was 1.6 percent higher to SKr94.50, also on the expectation that the new government will sell its 20 percent stake for up to €5.2 billion. Likewise, air carrier SAS gained 2.2 percent to SKr93.75 on the possibility that the government will sell its 21.4 percent stake in the airline.

Not all Swedish shares were up, however. Telecommunications equipment maker Ericsson was up early but ended the session down 0.4 percent to SKr24.80. Elsewhere in the telecoms equipment sector, Finnish company Nokia continued its decline, dropping 1.1 percent to €14.97 amid continuing rumors that it will issue a profits warning soon.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 0.4 percent higher to 1,357.94 on Thursday as much of the Italian banking sector saw gains on the day. The success of the sector also sent the S&P/MIB index in Italy up by 1.2 percent to 37,733.

The major exception to the gains in Italian banks was UniCredit, which was 0.4 percent lower to €6.207. Banca Intesa and Sanpaolo IMI were both higher on news that they are in talks toward a merger which, if completed, would create Italy’s second largest bank, behind UniCredit. Intesa was 7.6 percent higher to €5.025, while Sanpaolo added 6.1 percent to €15.558. Elsewhere in Italy, Mediobanca was up 5.1 percent to €17.064 and Capitalia advanced by 2.9 percent to €6.763.

Other gainers included Swatch, which added 4.3 percent to SFr47 on higher profits and sales. Credit Suisse issued positive comments on the Swiss watchmaker. In the telecommunications equipment sector, Ericsson added 0.9 percent to SKr22.90 on the announcement that it had secured a $1 billion contract with Indian telecom Bharti Airtel to upgrade and expand its network. EADS gained back part of its losses earlier in the week that were due to concerns over delays in two big development projects, adding 2.5 percent to €22.60.

The oil sector saw declines after gasoline inventories in the United States rose unexpectedly last week. Statoil dropped 0.9 percent to NKr176, while Neste Oil declined by 1 percent to €25.42.

Cement maker Holcim dropped 1.2 percent to SFr98 even though profits in the first half were up b y 44 percent. Holcim’s German rival Heidelberg Cement also dropped 1.2 percent, to €97.50, while Lafarge dropped 0.3 percent to €99.30. All were affected by the news out of the United States on Wednesday that house sales are down, raising concerns about construction markets around the world.

Indications from the United States of a slowing economy there affected European markets, sending the FTSE Eurofirst 300 0.6 percent lower to 1,353.26 on Wednesday.

Further news from the US in the form of a revenues warning from National Semiconductor, send the European semiconductors sector lower. ASML and Infineon each dropped 1.1 percent to €16.41 and €8.66 respectively. STMicroelectronics fell by 1.5 percent to €12.44.

In telecommunications related sectors, equipment makers were lower, as were most telecoms operators. The exception was Telekom Austria, which added 2.5 percent to €18.97. Deutsche Telekom dropped 0.6 percent to €11.50 after HSBC reaffirmed its “underweight” recommendation and dropped its target share price to €10.20, while France Telecom was 1 percent lower to €16.42. Among equipment makers, Nokia was down 2 percent to €16.45, while Ericsson dropped 2.2 percent to SKr22.70.

EADS fell 2.2 percent to €22.05 after rumors that the aerospace company was running behind by at least two years on the development of its Airbus A400M military transport. Recently, EADS was hurt by reports of delays on its A380 superjumbo passenger jet.

Among gainers on the day was Nestle, which added 2.3 percent to SFr417.75 after going as high as SFr419.50 during the day, a record high, after it reported better than expected first half results.

Bids news were in focus in Europe on Thursday, taking the FTSE Eurofirst 300 up by just 0.1 percent to 1,360.8. Technology stocks were higher once again, while oil saw declines as crude oil prices slipped further.

In the semiconductor sector, STMicroelectronics added 2.6 percent to €12.79 and ASML gained 3 percent to €16.68, while in the telecommunications equipment sector Ericsson was 2.2 percent higher to SKr23.50.

Among oil companies and related service providers, Total fell 0.8 percent to €53.20, while Saipem dropped 1.8 percent to €17.39. Neste Oil declined by 2.5 percent to €24.97, while Statoil was 2.6 percent lower to NKr170.

In the automobile manufacturing sector, Volvo was 5 percent higher to SKr401.50 amid rumors that a group of investors would enter a bid or force the carmaker to return cash to its shareholders. Both Renault, which owns 20 percent of Volvo, and German company Man denied involvement in the rumored moves and both added 2.7 percent on the session to €90.75 and €60.10 respectively.

Wienerberger bid 216p per share for UK rival Baggeridge Brick, sending the Austrian brick maker’s shares 0.8 percent higher to €37.40. Irish brick maker CRH, meanwhile gained 0.7 percent to €25.59.

In the insurance sector, Zurich Financial dropped 1.9 percent to SFr282.50 even though a new report showed that its net profits were up by 9 percent in the first half of the year. The decline came on the news that written premiums were down more than had been expected.

Gains in recently ailing technology sectors helped the FTSE Eurofirst 300 higher on Wednesday. The Eurofirst added 0.3 percent to 1,359.59. Banks exposed to emerging European economies also did well.

Raiffeisen International, the Austrian bank that bought Impex Bank of Russia earlier in the year was 4.5 percent higher to €71.26. Meanwhile, National Bank of Greece, which purchased Turkish bank Finansbank, gained 3.3 percent to €32.24 and Erste Bank added 2.7 percent to €46.89. Erste has spent over €6.3 billion in acquiring east European holdings since the beginning of the decade.

In the telecommunications equipment sector, Ericsson was 1.8 percent higher to SKr23 on positive comments from Dresdner Kleinwort. Elsewhere in the sector, Nokia and Alcatel each added 2.8 percent to €16.48 and €9.47 respectively.

Phillips Electronics was 0.1 percent higher to €25.94 after it said it would sell Enabling Technologies Group, which manufactures components for industrial equipment, to VDL Groep. Phillips has been in the process of restructuring for some time and comments from Merrill Lynch indicated that there was probably more to come.

In the utilities sector, Eon dropped 0.1 percent to €99.89 even though Deutsche Bank repeated its “buy” recommendation and increased its target share price from €105 to €110.