The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was up, but just barely, on Monday, adding only 0.04 percent to end the session at 1,538.32. The energy sector was lower on bids news, while the banking sector declined on profit-taking.

Airlines were higher on the session, however. Aer Lingus added 1.8 percent to €2.85 after Ryanair said that it might make a new bid for its rival. This could happen as soon as in May if its previous, lapsed, bid is cleared by competition authorities of the European Commission. Ryanair, meanwhile, gained 6.8 percent to €11.98 on an unexpected report of net profits that were up 30 percent in its fiscal third quarter.

Profit-taking in the banking sector was encouraged by brokers who issued downgrades to both SEB and Credit Suisse. ING dropped its recommendation on Credit Suisse from “buy” to “hold”, sending the Swiss bank 0.7 percent lower to SFr88.10. Swedish Bank SEB dropped 1.9 percent to SKr230.50 on a downgrade from “hold” to “sell” from Deutsche Bank, which said that the benefits of a possible merger with Nordea were already priced in. Nordea held steady at SKr110.

In the energy sector, Endsea was lower after Eon’s Friday bid was lower than Friday’s closing price but higher than its previous offer for the Spanish company. While some Endsea shareholders had hoped for a higher bid, Eon’s bid was high enough according to an analyst at Dresdner Kleinwort. Endsea dropped 2.4 percent to €38.10, while Eon fell 0.4 percent to €108.97. Acciona, the Spanish builder which holds 21 percent of Endsea, added 0.3 percent to €155.45 amid speculation that it could oppose the deal after it said last week that it would sell its stake in Endsea if the bid by Eon is accepted.

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.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.4 percent on Tuesday to close at 1,462.53 as merger rumors continued in the banking sector.

There were gains in the retail sector. Carrefour added 2 percent to €47.22 after Tesco decided to buy the other half of China-based supermarket chain Hymall. The move underscored the value of the French retailer’s interests in that Asian nation. Ahold was 3.9 percent higher to €7.81 on speculation about the Dutch retailer’s restructuring after it agreed to sell part of its interests in the US last month. Some hedge fund investors are urging Ahold to completely divest itself of US holdings.

In the banking sector, Nordea added 6.7 percent to SKr107 after it became known that Sampo of Finland purchased 12.8 million more shares of the bank in November. Bids rumors circulated although some analysts said that Sampo was simply looking for a better position before the Swedish government sells its stake in Nordea. Sampo added 3.1 percent to €20.20 on the speculation, while Svenska Handelsbanken added 0.5 percent to SKr192.50 and SEB gained 2.6 percent to SKr213.00.

Stock exchange operator Deutsche Borse dropped 2.1 percent to €134.22 on a downgrade from “add” to “hold” from West LB, which cited valuation issues as a reason for its move.

In the electronics sector, meanwhile, Philips Electronics was 0.7 percent lower to €27.72 after its joint venture in South Korea, LG.Philips LCD, dropped almost 8 percent after being looked at by authorities concerning allegations of price fixing.

In Europe on Tuesday, the FTSE Eurofirst 300 ended slightly lower, down 0.1 percent to 1,449.5

Banks were mixed on the session, with Erste Bank 1.6 percent higher to €54.15 on an upgrade to “buy” from Merrill Lynch, while Raiffeisen added 2.4 percent to €89 and Allied Irish Banks gained 2.8 percent to €21.25. Swedish banks, however, were lower on the session. SEB dropped 1 percent to SKr206, Swedbank was 1.7 percent lower to SKr225.50, and Handelsbanken fell 4.5 percent to SKr192 on third quarter results that saw both operating profits and gross income failing to meet predictions.

Oil companies were mixed as well. Statoil was 1.1 percent higher to NKr167.75 on the announcement that its Snorre oilfield, closed due to a safety problem concerning lifeboats, is being brought back online. Neste Oil added 4.5 percent to €24.35 after declines on Monday on a downgrade from Morgan Stanley. Norsk Hydro, however, dropped 0.5 percent to NKr150.75 after it said that operating profits were up 18 percent in the third quarter, less than had been anticipated.

In the construction sector, Spanish builder Metrovacesa dropped 8.1 percent to €115.70 on remarks from the government stock market regulator that its listing on the Ibex index should be examined.

Alcatel, the French telecommunications equipment maker, added 7.2 percent to €10.29. While net profits were down 42 percent in the quarter, mostly due to one-time gains during the third quarter last year, profits for US telecom Lucent, which Alcatel is purchasing, posted results that were better than had been predicted.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was not helped on Thursday by bids rumors in the banking and automobile manufacturing sectors. The Eurofirst dropped 0.1 percent to 1,369.27 as investors continued to worry about inflation in the United States.

There were more details concerning an anticipated bid by MAN to acquire Scania. It was rumored that the German truck maker would submit a largely cash bid worth around €9.5 billion for its Swedish rival. The key still seems to be convincing top Scania shareholders Volkswagen and Investor to support the deal, which some say could be announced as soon as Monday.

Scania B shares dropped slightly on the session, by 0.4 percent to SKr154, but Volkswagen added 0.9 percent to €64.83, Investor gained 2.3 percent to SKr154, and MAN was 5.1 percent higher to €63.19.

In other mergers and acquisitions news, it was said that Netherlands bank ABN Amro could soon receive a bid from Bank of America. Such rumors have circulated before, and some analysts did not give them much credence. However, shares in ABN Amro were up 1.3 percent to €22.39. Also in the banking sector, there was speculation that a merger between SEB and Nordea might be coming up. The talk sent Nordea 3 percent higher to SKr95.25, while SEB added 3.8 percent to SKr203.50.

Shares in companies that deal in luxury goods were mixed. On the strength of a positive trading statement that had sales up 16 percent in the first five months of its fiscal year, Richemont gained 2 percent to SFr59.90. Meanwhile, Hermes International added 3 percent to €67.70 even though its first half net profits weren’t quite up to analysts expectations. Italian jeweler Bulgari, on the other hand, dropped 2.6 percent to €9.86 after its most recent guidance was not as optimistic as had been hoped.

In Europe on Thursday, the FTSE Eurofirst 300 dropped 0.1 percent on the day to close at 1,376.57, down for the first time on over two weeks of trading sessions. On the other hand, Frankfurt’s Xetra Dax gained 0.3 percent to 5,947.11 several German companies saw advances on the day.

Utilities were down as merger talks remained in the news. Italy’s Enel dropped 0.7 percent to €7.02 despite a 48 percent gain in net profits for the full year and the announcement of an increased dividend. Suez also dropped 0.7 percent to €34.37, while Gaz de France declined by 0.9 percent.

Banks were up, led by Commerzbank, which added 2.9 percent to €31.94 on an upgrade to “buy” from UBS. Goldman Sachs raised its earnings predictions on several Nordic banks, sending their shares up as well. SEB gained 2.5 percent to SKr186.50, while Nordea Bank was up 1.3 percent to SKr95, Swedbank added 1.2 percent to SKr213.50, and SHB rose 0.5 percent to SKr211.

Swiss watchmaker Swatch lost 2.2 percent to SFr220.10 on a profits report that did not meet expectations.

Among the companies that helped the Xetra Dax on the day were Schering, Lufthansa, and Infineon. Chipmaker Infineon gained 8.5 percent to €8.92, while pharmaceutical company Schering was up 2.7 percent to €85.23 on reports that Bayer was thinking about bidding for the company, which is already facing a hostile takeover attempt from Merck. Lufthansa added 5.4 percent to €14.52 on the announcement that it’s full year operating profits were up by 51 percent.