European markets were higher again Friday, helped by talk of a plan to allow the US Federal Housing Authority to guarantee loans for delinquent subprime mortgage holders so that they can refinance their loans at better rates and avoid foreclosure, on the theory that the plan will help relieve chaos in the mortgage marked and improve consumer confidence.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was up 1.12 percent to 1,532.34. Madrid’s IBEX added 1.16 percent to 14,479.8, while the CAC-40 gained 1.25 percent to 5,662.7 and the Dax was 1.57 percent higher to 7,638.17.

In the retail sector, luxury goods group PPR (Euronext: PPR) had the best day on the CAC-40 as it added 4.14 percent to €126.90.

The top spot on the Dax, meanwhile, was taken by chipmaker Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX), which gained 3.72 percent to €11.44 after US computer maker Dell (NAS: DELL; SEHK: 4331) reported strong results.

Other gainers included engineering group Siemens (FWB: SIE; NYSE: SI), which was 2.47 percent higher to €91.93.

Utilities were mixed.

Suez (Eurofirst: SZE; NYSE: SZE) added 1.8 percent to €41.74, while Eon (FWB: EOA; LSE: EON; NYSE: EON) gained 2.48 percent to €123.17 and Gaz de France (Euronext: GAZ) was up 3.95 percent to €36.80.

On the other hand, EDF (Euronext: EEN) was 0.75 percent lower to €74.12.

There were only two other losers on the CAC-40 on the session.

Retailer Carrefour (Euronext: CA) fell 1.5 percent to €51.37, while media group Vivendi (Euronext: VIV) had the worst day on the CAC-40 with a decline of 1.74 percent to €30.01 on slow earnings growth.

Retailer Metro (FWB: MEO) was the worst performer on the Dax with a delcine of 1.01 percent to €63.44.

European equities markets were higher on the session.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 1.15 percent to 1,515.76.

In Madrid, the IBEX gained 0.92 percent to 14,313.4, while the Dax was up 1.09 percent to 7,519.94 in Frankfurt and the Paris CAC-40 was 1.31 percent higher to 5,592.53.

Utilities were up in Paris, with Suez (Euronet: SZE; NYSE: SZE) gaining 5.32 percent to €41 for the best performance on the CAC-40.

Gaz de France (Euronext: GAZ) was right behind, adding 3.84 percent to €35.40.

On the other hand, power generator and manufacturer Alstom (Euronext: ALO) dropped 0.05 percent to €128.96.

The best performance on the Dax came from retailer Metro (FWB: MEO), which added 4.54 percent to €64.26.

The semiconductors sector was higher.

Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX) was up 2.9 percent to €11.02, while STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) was 3.72 percent higher to €12.65.

Industrial gases groups gained ground as well.

Air Liquide (Euronext AI) added 1.77 percent to €92.34 and Linde (FWB: LIN) gained 2.15 percent to €86.02.

Airlines were mixed.

Air France (Euronext: AF; NYSE: AKH) was up 2.7 percent to €29.71, but Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) fell 0.37 percent to €21.31. Banks were also mixed.

Credit Agricole (Euronext: ACA) gained 2.31 percent to €2.31 to €27.51, while Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE: DB) was 0.12 percent lower to €89.89.

Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG) was the worst performer on the Dax, with a decline of 0.64 percent to €35.46.

European markets also headed lower again Wednesday after Tuesday’s gains.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 dropped 1.54 percent to 1,526.07.

In Frankfurt the Dax was 1.45 percent lower to 7,473.93, while the IBEX fell 1.46 percent to 14, 586.1 in Madrid and the Paris CAC-40 was down 1.68 percent to 5,654.3.

Volkswagen (FWB: VOW; OTC: VLKAY) had the best day on the Dax, where it added 1.12 percent to €134.

On the other hand, BMW (FWB: BMW) dropped 5.06 percent to €35.34.

Other gainers in Frankfurt included industrial gases group Linde (FWB: LIN) was up 0.97 percent to €87.60, while in Paris Air Liquide (Euronext: AI) dropped 2.61 percent to €93.21.

Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) added 0.73 percent to €20.83 and retailer Metro (FWB: MEO) was 0.65 percent higher to €57.56.

There were only two gainers on the CAC-40, both related to the steel sector.

Steel products manufacturer Vallourec (Euronext: VK) added 1.57 percent to €196.12, while Mittal Steel had the best day in Paris as it gained 2.21 percent to €46.74.

The utilities sector was lower, with Gaz de France (Euronext: GAZ) 2.47 percent lower to €33.50 and Suez (Euronext: SZE; NYSE: SZE) down 2.57 percent to €37.97.

Hotels operator Accor (Euronext: AC) fell 2.73 percent to €61.57, while in the pharmaceuticals sector Sanofi (Euronext: SAN; NYSE: SNY) was down 3.35 percent to €59.44.

Conglomerate Bouygues (Euronext: EN), with interests in media, construction and telecommunications, was the worst performer on the CAC-40, dropping 4.13 percent to €56.70.

Equities markets were higher in Europe on Monday, with the FTSE Eurofirst 300 up 0.19 percent to 1,630.35.

In Paris, the CAC-40 was 0.12 percent higher to 6,125.6, while the Dax gained 0.16 percent to 8,105.69 in Frankfurt and the IBEX was up 0.58 percent to 15,110.4 in Madrid.

Banks were higher in Europe, helped by continuing events surrounding the sale of ABN Amro (Euronext AAB; NYSE: ABN) as a consortium led by Royal Bank of Scotland (LSE: RBS; NYSE: RBS PRM) raised the cash component of its bid to 93 percent of the total after the Dutch supreme court gave ABN Amro permission to sell its US operation, LaSalle.

In Frankfurt, Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) added 0.97 percent to €35,45, while in Paris Credit Agricole (Euronext: ACA) was 1.11 percent higher to €30.05, BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) gained 1.49 percent to €88.67, and Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) was up 2.1 percent to €138.75.

BMW (FWB: BMW) was the biggest gainer on the Dax, adding 1.39 percent to €40.64, while in Paris utility EDF (Euronext: EEN) led the CAC-40 with a gain of 2.58 percent to €78.74.

In Frankfurt, pharmaceuticals group Bayer (FWB: BAY; NSYE: BAY; TYO: 4863) was 1.35 percent higher to €57.17 after JP Morgan (NYSE: JPM; TYO: 8634) said that new data on the company’s blood-clot drug Rivaroxaban would boost shares and raised its target share price from €63 to €70.

The European steel sector saw declines, with ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA; LSE: THK) down 1.12 percent to €44.95 and Mittal Steel (Euronext: MT; NYSE: MT) falling 0.56 percent to €48.33.

The biggest loser of the day in Paris was Gaz de France (Euronext: GAZ), which dropped 1.43 percent to €36.47.

The oil sector was lower as well, with Total (Euronext: FP; NSYE: TOT) down 1.19 percent to €62.30.

Equities markets saw gains in Europe on Friday.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 gained 0.57 percent to 1,618.9.

In Paris, the CAC-40 was 0.71 percent higher to 6,102.69, while the Dax added 0.77 percent to 8,048.32 in Frankfurt and the IBEX was up 1.01 percent to 15,058.3 in Madrid.

Carmakers were higher. Volkswagen (FWB: VOW; OTC: VLKAY) was 1.45 percent higher to €123.88, while BMW (FWB: BMW) gained 1.89 percent to €41.22 and Renault (Euronext: RNO) was up 2.12 percent to €120.17.

Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) was the session’s best performer on the CAC-40 with a gain of 5.84 percent to €65.03.

Steelmaker ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA; LSE: THK) had the best day on the Dax as it added 3.96 percent to €45.41.

Poorest performances on the day included engineering group Siemens (FWB: SIE; NYSE: SI) with a decline of 0.77 percent to €109.08 on the Dax and Gaz de France (Euronext: GAZ), which dropped 1.96 percent to €37.11 in Paris.

Other losers on the day included insurer Allianz (FWB: ALV; NYSE: AZ), down 0.04 percent to €170.94 and Air France (Euronext: AF; NSYE: AKH), which was 1.61 percent lower to €33.54.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 closed at its highest level in six years when it added 0.6 percent on Friday to end the session at 1,519.81.

The week saw big gains in more than one sector.  Deutsche Borse added 10.4 percent on the week to a record share price of €164.30, with one analyst saying that estimates of the stock exchange operator’s earnings growth for the year, at 10 percent, were conservative.

In the construction sector, consolidation possibilities brought big advances.  The news that holding company Artemis had purchased a 5.1 percent stake in French company Vinci sent Vinci’s shares 8.4 percent higher to €104.90.  In Spain, meanwhile, Sacyr-Vallehermoso added 10.2 percent to €48.32.

Deutsche Post gained 7.2 percent on the week to €23.98 on rumors that a private equity group was looking to buy at least part of the 30.6 percent stake owned by the German government, despite predictions of union and political opposition to such a bid.

In the Swedish banking sector, Nordea added 2.2 percent to SKr110.60 and SEB gained 7.5 percent to SKr237.00 on renewed rumors that the two banks could merge.

On the negative side, EADS dropped 2.7 percent during the week, to €24.39, after the aerospace firm issued its second profits warning in four months.  In the French energy sector, Suez was 5.8 percent lower to €38.01 after a withdrawn bid for the company, while Gaz de France dropped 6 percent to €33.73.

In a holiday shortened week, the FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.2 percent to close on Friday at 1,486.08. Gains peaked on Wednesday when the index breached the 1,500 level.

Airlines did well during the week as falling crude oil prices provided the hope that fuel costs would decline. Ryanair added 5.3 percent to €10.98, while Air France-KLM was 7.2 percent higher to €34.20. Lufthansa was also helped by positive comments from brokers after it sold its 50 percent share of travel company Thomas Cook, gaining 7.8 percent over the week to €22.47.

The telecommunications sector also saw gains. Telecom Italia added 3.1 percent to €2.36, while Deutsche Telekom was 4.4 percent higher to €14.45 and KPN gained 4.9 percent to €11.30.

On the other hand, European utilities were hurt by concerns that European Union regulators would come down hard on the sector after an investigation found evidence of misbehavior. Gaz de France was 1 percent lower to €34.50 and Suez fell 2.1 percent to €38.42 among rumors that a bid for Suez from a French billionaire could prevent their proposed merger. Elsewhere in the sector, RWE dropped 3.6 percent to €80.50, while Eon was down 5.4 percent to €97.26 and Veolia Environment fell 9.2 percent over the week to €53.05.

The oil sector was hurt by falling crude oil prices. Total ended the week 3.5 percent lower to €52.75, while Neste Oil dropped 5 percent to €21.89 and Statoil fell 5.9 percent to NKr155.50.

European equities markets began the new year with gains on Tuesday. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 1.2 percent to 1,501.83, the first time it has closed above 1,500 since February 2001. Meanwhile, Frankfurt’s Xetra Dax gained 1.2 percent and the CAC 40 was up 1.4 percent.

Utilities were still in the grip of bids rumors. The Suez/Gaz de France merger looked to be in more trouble. A court decision put the deal in doubt when it ruled that the merger cannot go further until European Union energy markets are fully liberalized on July 1. Added to that, there were rumors that a French billionaire is considering a bid for Suez, which he would then break up. According to these reports, he would sell the company’s energy assets to Gaz de France, but its environmental division would go to Veolia Environment. All the talk left Gaz de France steady at €34.85, while Suez added 1.9 percent to €39.90 after going as high as €40.50 during the session. Veolia, on the other hand, dropped 4.1 percent to €56 after significant gains on Friday.

In the retail sector, German retailer Metro added 5.7 percent to €51.06 on reports that one of its largest shareholders is going to raise its stake. The gains came even though the reports were denied. Also helping was a report from the German Retail Association that showed sales up substantially in December in the face of an expected drop.

Steelmaker ThyssenKrupp was 2.8 percent higher to €36.69 as consolidation hopes for the sector were given another boost by the news that Harris Steel of Canada has agreed to be taken over b y US company Nucor.

After gains early in the session, the FTSE Eurofirst 300 ended at 1,4479, a decline of 0.2 percent. Several sectors contributed to the decline.

Still, there were gainers on the session. In the luxury goods sector, Swatch Group added 0.8 percent to SFr54.00, while Richemont, which owns the Cartier brand of watches, gained 3 percent to SFr71.35, a record high. The advances came on hopes that Christmas spending would benefit the companies.

The French utilities sector was higher on new rumors about takeovers. Gaz de France was 1.6 percent higher to €34.23, while Suez gained 2.1 percent to €38.57 despite questions about the proposed merger between the two. Analysts saw the merger as less and less likely after news that shareholders might not vote on approval before the beginning of July. That would delay final government approval of the deal until after French presidential elections in May, with a new government seen as less likely to extend approval. Additionally, a French billionaire is said to be thinking of bidding for Suez.

Aerospace company EADS added 2.2 percent to €25.79 after Australian airline Qantas ordered eight more of the delayed Airbus A380, upping its order to twenty of the superjumbo jets.

In the oil sector, Total dropped 0.2 percent to €54.50 even though Deutsche Bank reaffirmed its “buy” recommendation on the French oil company, saying that European oil companies are currently trading at record lows.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 dropped 1.5 percent on Monday to close at 1,429.00. The declines was the Eurofirst’s furthest one-day fall in nearly six months.

Utilities were down after the announcement last week that the merger between Gaz de France and Suez was being delayed, as some hoped that Italian utility Enel might yet engineer a merger with Suez. Most analysts were skeptical of the possibility, and Enel dropped 1 percent to €7.59. Suez and Gaz de France were also lower, by 0.3 percent to €35.86 and by 0.6 percent to €32.27 respectively. Elsewhere in the sector, RWE dropped 0.6 percent to €86.05 even though it had gone as high as €90.81, an all-time high, earlier on rumors that Gazprom could be thinking about bidding.

Stock exchanges were also lower as investors took profits. Euronext dropped 3.4 percent to €92.25, while Deutsche Borse was 3.9 percent lower to €129.97.

The automobile manufacturing sector dropped on worries about the state of the US dollar. Volkswagen fell 1.6 percent to €80.01, while Peugeot dropped 2.5 percent to €46.78 and DaimlerChrysler was 2.8 percent lower to €44.25.

Tire makers were also lower, with Continental down 3.5 percent to €86.10 and Michelin dropping 4 percent to €65.20.