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 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.

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 declined on Wednesday.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 1.69 percent lower to 1,523.24.

In Frankfurt, the Dax dropped 1.73 percent to 7,588.03, while the Paris CAC-40 fell 2.14 percent to 5,551.55 and the IBEX was down 2.31 percent to 14,252.5 in Madrid.

There was only one winner on the CAC-40, in the banking sector, where Dexia (Euronext: DEXB; Euronext: DX; LuxSE: DXB) added 0.19 percent to €20.93.

Meanwhile, the Dax saw only two gainers on the day.

HypoVereinsbank (FWB: HVM) was 0.57 percent higher to €40.45, while chemicals group Altana (FWB: ALT; NYSE: AAA) had the best performance there with a gain of 1.61 percent to €17.73.

Carmakers were lower, with Renault (Euronext: RNO) turning in the worst performance on the CAC-40 with a drop of 4.09 percent to €95.00.

Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) was the second-biggest loser of the day in Paris as it fell 3.89 percent to €57.13 after it said it could cut as many as 8,000 jobs by the end of the year.

Airlines were also lower.

Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) was down 2.77 percent to €21.12, while Air France (Euronext: AF; NYSE: AKH) dropped 3.26 percent to €29.70.

In the banking sector, Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) fell 2.93 percent to €118.40.

Among pharmaceuticals groups, Bayer (FWB: BAY; NYSE: BAY; TYO: 4863) was 2.53 percent lower to €57.20 on the announcement that it would delist from the New York Stock Exchange.

Aerospace group EADS (Euronext: EAD; FWB: EAD) was 3.01 percent lower to €21.26.

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 were higher Wednesday after Tuesday’s losses.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was up 0.47 percent to 1,497.28.

In Frankfurt, the Dax gained 0.12 percent to 7,439.18.

Madrid’s IBEX added 0.42 percent to 14,183.6, while the CAC-40 was up 0.84 percent to 5,520.02 in Paris.

Hotels operator Accor (Euronext: AC) was the best performer on the CAC-40, adding 5.86 percent to €62.91 on first half profits that were more than double and on the announcement of a stock buyback worth €500 million.

Airline Lufthansa had the best day on the Dax, gaining 3.29 percent to €21.28. Retailers saw gains.

German retailer Metro (FWB: MEO) was up 2.9 percent to €61.36, while Carrefour (Euronext: CA) added 3.39 percent to €52.14. The car and truck manufacturing sector was mixed.

In Paris, Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC; PEUGY) dropped 0.34 percent to €60.70 and Renault (Euronext: RNO) was the worst performer on the CAC-40 as it fell 2.34 percent to €97 after its CEO said that “unprecedented” growth would be needed if it is to meet its goals for 2009.

In Germany, however, Daimler Chrysler (FWB: DCX; NYSE: DCX; TYO: 7663) was up 0.9 percent to €63.26 after it raised its profits forecast and announced a stock buyback that could be worth as much as €7.5 billion.

Truck maker Man (FWB: EDF1) was 1.16 percent higher to €101.45.

Utilities declined on the session, with EDF (Euronext: EEN) 0.05 percent lower to €73.90 and Eon (FWB: EOA; LSE: EON; NYSE: EON) down 0.54 percent to €118.60.

European markets declined substantially on Tuesday after over a week of steady gains.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 dropped 1.81 percent to 1,488.92. In Frankfurt, the Dax fell 0.74 percent to 7,430.24.

Madrid’s IBEX was 1.26 percent lower to 14,124.8, while the CAC-40 was down 2.08 percent to 5,474.17.

Banks saw substantial declines, with BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) in the biggest drop on the CAC-40, falling 3.36 percent to €75.86.

Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) dropped 2.88 percent to €116.54, while Credit Agricole (Euronext: ACA) was 2.81 percent lower to €26.97.

Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE: DB) was down 1.7 percent to €90.05, its lowest level in nearly a year.

Other decliners included engineering group Siemens (FWB: SIE; NYSE: SI), which fell 1.91 percent to €88.94 in advance of a meeting between German and US investigators in regard to a corruption probe at the company.

Insurer Axa (Euronext: CS; NYSE: AXA) dropped 3.05 percent to €28.90, while builder Vinci (Euronext: DG) was 2.99 percent lower to €50.32.

Airlines were mixed, with Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) up 0.29 percent to €20.64 but Air France down 3.13 percent to €28.52.

Media group Lagardere (Euronext: MMB) was the only gainer on the CAC-40 as it added 0.8 percent to €57.87.

Utilities were higher in Frankfurt. RWE (FWB: RWE) was up 0.37 percent to €80.65, while Eon was 1.2 percent higher to €119.87 for the biggest gain on the Dax.

European markets were higher on the session Wednesday.

The Eurofirst 300 gained 1.57 percent to 1,505.51.

In Madrid the IBEX added 0.84 percent to 14,359.2, while the Dax was 1.02 percent higher to 7,500.48 in Frankfurt and the Paris CAC-40 was up 1.83 percent to 4,418.17 and had no losers on the day.

The biggest gainer on the day in Paris was construction group Vinci (Euronext: DG), which added 6.41 percent to €51.

Buoygues (Euronext: EN), which has interests in both construction and media, gained 4.05 percent to €53.93.

The steel sector was also higher.

ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA; LSE: THK) was 2.14 percent higher to €41.92, while Mittal Steel (Euronext: MT; NYSE: MT) was up 4.98 percent to €44.45.

In addition Vallourec (Euronext: VK), which manufactures steel products, was up 4.47 percent to €190.71.

In the semiconductors sector Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX) gained 2.76 percent to €11.17 on the news that it is looking to buy.

Among airlines, Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) added 2.29 percent to €20.64, while Air France (Euronext: AF; NYSE: AKH) was up 3.82 percent to €29.38.

Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG) was the biggest decliner on the Dax, dropping 1.89 percent to €34.85.

Other decliners included utility RWE (FWB: RWE), which fell 0.44 percent to €80.65.

Software maker SAP (FWB: SAP; NYSE: SAP) was 0.21 percent lower to €38.71.

Europe’s equities markets were mostly lower on Wednesday.

The exception was Frankfurt’s Dax, which added 0.28 percent to 7,445.9.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 fell 0.08 percent to 1,493.42.

In Madrid, the IBEX dropped 0.18 percent to 14,527.6, while the Paris CAC-40 was 0.66 percent lower to 5,442.72.

Banks were mostly lower, again the exception coming in Germany where Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) added 0.47 percent to €29.67. UBS (SWX: USBN; NYSE: UBS; TYO: 8657) dropped 0.4 percent to SFr63.25 after Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE: DB) cut the Swiss bank’s target share price from SFr90 to SFr80 but reconfirmed its “buy” recommendation.

Deutsche Bank, in turn, had its recommendation cut from “buy” to “neutral” by Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER; TYO: 8675), sending the German bank 1 percent lower to €93.43.

Among French banks BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) fell 1.45 percent to €77.05, while Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) was down 2.29 percent to €116.27.

Insurers also saw declines.

Allianz (FWB: ALV; NYSE: AZ) dropped 1 percent to €154.23, while AXA (Euronext: CS; NYSE: AXA) was 1.2 percent lower to €28.49 after Credit Suisse (SWX: SCGN; NYSE: CS) cut its recommendation from “outperform” to “neutral”.

The best performance on the Dax came from drug and chemicals group Bayer (FWB: BAY; NYSE: BAY; TYO: 4863), which added 5.49 percent to €55.07 on the possibility that Novartis (NYSE: NVS) might offer for the company.

Officials of both Bayer and Novartis declined to comment on the rumors.

Stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse (FWB: DB1) had the worst day on the Dax as it dropped 2.66 percent to €80.54.

IT group Cap Gemini (Euronext: CAP) had the best day on the CAC-40, adding 4.04 percent to €45.63, while the worst performer on the 40 was Air France (Euronext: AF; NSYE: AKH) with a 2.74 percent decline to €28.70.

On the other hand, Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) gained 1.56 percent to €20.21.

France Telecom (Euronext: FTE; NYSE: FTE) added 1.26 percent to €20.90 on rumors that it has won the license to sell Apple’s (NAS: AAPL; LSE: ACP; FWB: APC) iPhone in France.

European equities markets were higher Monday.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 gained 2.37 percent to 1,514.49.

In Frankfurt the Dax was 1.78 percent higher to 7,474.33, while Madrid’s IBEX added 1.92 percent to 14,731.8 and the Paris CAC-40 was up 2.21 percent to 5,569.28.

Car and truck manufacturers saw gains.

Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) was up 3.24 percent to €59.57 and Renault (Euronext: RNO) gained 3.79 percent to €98.74 in Paris, while in Frankfurt DaimlerChrysler (FWB: DCX; NYSE: DCX; TYO: 7663) was up to €62.45 and truck manufacturer Man (FWB: EDF1) gained 4.63 percent to €98.53.

Airlines were also higher, with Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) up 4.23 percent to €19.92 while Air France (Euronext: AF; NYSE: AKH) added 5.04 percent to €30.

Chemicals group Altana (FWB: ALT; NYSE: AAA) had the best day on the Dax with a gain of 5.15 percent to €15.71.

Meanwhile, the best performer on the CAC-40 was tire maker Michelin (Euronext: ML), which was 5.35 percent higher to €88.81.

Other gainers included steel maker ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA; LSE: THK) with a gain of 3.82 percent to €39.65 on a broker upgrade from “hold” to “add”.

Property investor Unibail (Euronext: UL) turned in the worst performance on the CAC-40, dropping 1.96 percent to €170.77, while the worst day on the Dax was in the financial services sector as MLP (FWB: MLPB) - formerly Marschollek, Lautenschlager, and Partner - with a decline of 2.84 percent to €12.33.

Software manufacturer SAP (FWB: SAP; NYSE: SAP) fell 0.53 percent to 39.29.

Food processor Groupe Danone (Euronext: BN; NYSE: DA) was 0.69 percent lower to €54.35, while drinks producer Pernon-Ricard (Euronext: RI) dropped 0.88 percent to €153.76.