Markets in Europe were higher on Wednesday.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.49 percent to 1,583.69.

In Frankfurt the Dax gained 0.29 percent to 7,985.41, while the Paris CAC-40 was up 0.77 percent to 5,818.8 and the IBEX jumped 0.99 percent to 15,430.5 in Madrid.

Food processor Groupe Danone (Euronext: BN; NYSE: DA) was the best performer on the CAC-40, adding 3.58 percent to €56.15 after it said sales were up 7 percent over the past 9 months.

Semiconductors group Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX) had the best day over on the Dax, gaining 2.13 percent to €11.04 after US rival Intel (NAS: INTC; SEHK: 4335) showed strong third-quarter results with profits up 43 percent and earnings coming in at 31 cents per share.

Elsewhere in the sector, STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) was up 0.8 percent to €11.73.

Meanwhile, chip making equipment manufacturer ASML (Euronext: ASML; NAS: ASMLD) jumped 8.2 percent to €24.35.

The steel sector was mixed.

Mittal Steel (Euronext: MT; NYSE: MT) was 2.3 percent higher to €55.16, but ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA; LSE: THK) dropped 0.16 percent to €43.18.

Utilities were also mixed.

Suez (Euronext: SZE; NYSE: SZE) added 1.93 percent to €43.88 and Gaz de France (Euronext: GAZ) was up 2.14 percent to €39.07, but Eon (FWB: EOA; NYSE: EON; LSE: EON) fell 0.27 percent to €131.51.

Most European markets were higher on the session, but Madrid’s IBEX dropped 0.04 percent to 14,783.8.

In Frankfurt the Dax added 0.11 percent to 7,955.3, while the CAC-40 gained 0.12 percent to 5,806.18 in Paris.

The Pan-European FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 0.16 percent higher to 1,570.81.

Insider trading accusations sent aerospace and defense group EADS (Eurofirst: EAD; FWB: EAD) and Lagardere (Euronext: MMB), which has interests in both media and aerospace as an investor in EADS, lower on the session.

Lagardere was the day’s worst performer on the CAC-40 as it dropped 5.42 percent to €58.45, while EADS fell 0.78 percent to €21.71.

Lagardere officials said the allegations are unfounded, while EADS had no comment.

Other decliners included the semiconductors and utilities sectors.

Among chipmakers, Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX) was down 0.76 percent to €11.74 while STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NSYE: STM) was 1.11 percent lower to €11.61.

In the utilities sector, RWE (FWB: RWE) dropped 0.76 percent to €87.01 and EDF (Euronext: EEN) fell 0.81 percent to €73.54.

Banks saw gains on the session.

Credit Agricole (Euronext: ACA) was up 1.18 percent to €28.27, while Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) was 1.22 percent higher to €29.87 and Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE: DB) added 2.12 percent to €95.67.

In the airlines sector, Air France (Euronext: AF; NYSE: AKH) was up 1.46 percent to €28.41.

Car and truck makers also gained ground.

Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) was 1.52 percent higher to €60 while Renault (Euronext: RNO) gained 1.62 percent to €109.26.

Meanwhile, truck maker Man (FWB: EDF1) turned in the best performance of the day on the Dax as it added 3.85 percent to €112.96.

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext: ALU; NYSE: ALU; TYO: 6687) had the best day on the CAC-40, gaining 2.37 percent to €7.37.

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.

European markets were lower on Monday as the subprime crisis continued to cause disturbances.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 dropped 1.32 percent to 1,487.28.

In Frankfurt, the Dax was 0.24 percent lower to 7,479.83, while Madrid’s IBEX fell 1.18 percent to 13,696.9 and the Paris CAC-40 was down 1.8 percent to 5,439.37.

There were only four gainers on the CAC-40, led by eyeglass lens and frame maker Essilor International (Euronext: EF), which gained 0.53 percent to €43.58.

Drinks group Pernod-Ricard was up 0.23 percent to €152.90.

The other two gainers were both utilities.

Suez (Euronext: SZE; NYSE: SZE) added 0.15 percent to €38.90 and EDF (Euronext: EEN) was 0.46 percent higher to €74.14.

Utilities also saw gains on the Dax, where Eon (FWB: EOA; LSE: EON; NYSE: EON) gained 0.72 percent to €127.11 and RWE (FWB: RWE) was up 1.5 percent to €83.68.

The best performer on the Dax was stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse, which added 2.73 percent to €82.47.

Big decliners included, in Paris, Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext: ALU; NYSE: ALU; TYO: 6687) with a drop of 5.23 percent to €6.16 and financial planner MLP (FWB: MLP), which fell 3.66 percent to €10.37.

Others seeing declines included Deutsche Post (FWB: DPW; LSE: DPO) with a decline of 1.33 percent to €20.84.

Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE: DB) dropped 2.05 percent to 88.22.

Schneider Electric (Euronext: SCHN) was 5.02 percent lower to €87.83, while STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) fell 3.08 percent to €11.66.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 1.02 percent higher to 6,363.9 as European markets made gains on Thursday.

Madrid’s IBEX gained 0.7 percent to 14,077.8, the Dax added 0.84 percent to 7,535.97, and the Paris CAC-40 was up 1.05 percent to 5,565.97.

Steel-related shares were higher.

ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA; LSE: THK) gained 1.97 percent to €40.87, while Mittal Steel (Euronext: MT; NYSE: MT) was up 4.6 percent to €48.20.

ThyssenKrupp’s gains came after it said it has won a new elevators contract in London and after ABN Amro (Euronext: AAB; NYSE: ABN) raised the steel-maker’s target share price.

Meanwhile, steel products manufacturer Vallourec was the best performer on the CAC-40 as it added 4.82 percent to €191.26.

Utilities were higher.

RWE (FWB: RWE) was 1.37 percent higher to €81.73, while EDF (Euronext: EEN) gained 1.54 percent to €72.40.

In the media sector, Vivendi (Euronext: VIV) was up 2.17 to €29.70 and Lagardere (Euronext: MMB) added 4.65 percent to €60.31.

The best performance on the day on the Dax came from stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse (FWB: DB1) which gained 3.33 percent to €81.07 after it said it would not buy into the London Stock Exchange.

On the negative side of the ledger, financial planner MLP (FWB: MLP) had the worst day on the Dax with a decline of 1.42 percent to €11.09.

The worst performance on the CAC-40 came from telecommunications group Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext: ALU; NYSE: ALU; TYO: 6687), which dropped 8.69 percent to €6.62.

Carmakers saw declines, with Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) falling 0.75 percent to €55.70 and BMW (FWB: BMW) down 0.97 percent to €34.75.

The semiconductors sector was also lower.

Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX) dropped 0.42 percent to €11.76, while STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) was 2.98 percent lower to €12.06.

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.

Most European markets were higher on the session after the European Central Bank voted to keep interest rates at 4 percent.

Madrid’s IBEX, however, dropped 0.29 percent to 14,198.4.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 0.17 percent higher to 1,525.2.

In Frankfurt, the Dax added 0.44 percent to 7,621.72, while the CAC-40 was up 0.45 percent to 5,576.62 in Paris.

The best performer on the day on the CAC-40 was in the oil sector, where Total (Euronext: FP; NYSE: TOT) gained 1.75 percent to €55.69.

The first spot on the Dax went to Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX), which was 5.03 percent higher to €12.10.

Also in the semiconductors sector, STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) was up 1.33 percent to €12.96.

Utilities were mixed.

While Suez (Euronext: SZE; NYSE: SZE) added 0.83 percent to €39.08, Gaz de France (Euronext: GAZ) was 0.83 percent lower to €34.02.

The steel sector was also mixed on the session.

Mittal Steel (Euronext: NT; NYSE: MT) was up 0.86 percent to €48.03, but ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA; LSE: THK) dropped 0.31 percent to €41.70.

Meanwhile, steel products manufacturer Vallourec (Euronext: VK) was also lower as it fell 0.97 percent to €189.21.

The biggest loser on the day on the Dax was sportswear and sporting goods group Adidas-Salomon (FWB: ADS), which dropped 0.78 percent to €42.97.

The worst performance on the CAC-40 came from manufacturer Saint-Gobain (Euronext: SGO), with a decline of 1.3 percent to €75.42.

European markets were higher on Tuesday.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.62 percent to 1,548.76.

The IBEX was 0.3 percent higher to 14,590.1 in Madrid, while the Paris CAC-40 gained 0.38 percent to 5,672.72 and Frankfurt’s Dax was up 0.96 percent to 7,721.77.

Property investment and management group Unibail (Euronext: UL) had the best day on the CAC-40, adding 4.3 percent to €185.40.

Meanwhile, chemicals group Altana (FWB: ALT; NYSE: AAA) was the best performer on the Dax with a gain of 3.02 percent to €17.43.

Banks saw gains.

BNP Paribas (Euronext: BNP; TYO: 8665) was 1.2 percent higher to €78.30, while Commerzbank (FWB: CBK) gained 2.8 percent to €30.94.

Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) was up 1.21 percent to €121.97, Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE DB) added 2.92 percent to €94.16, and Dexia (Euronext: DEXB) was 2.86 percent higher to €20.89.

Other gainers on the day included oil group Total (Euronext: FT; NYSE: TOT), which gained 0.98 percent to €55.37.

In the semiconductors sector, STMicroelectronics added 1.64 percent to €13.02, while healthcare group Fresenius Medical Care (FWB: FREG) was 1.63 percent higher to €36.07.

Carmakers were lower on the session.

Volkswagen (FWB: VOW; OTC: VLKAY) had the worst day on the Dax, where it dropped 0.5 percent to €152.11, while Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) put in the worst performance on the CAC-40 with a decline of 3.63 percent to €59.44.

Renault also declined, falling 0.88 percent to €99.05.

Utilities lost ground as weel, with Suez dropping 1.61 percent to €39.71 and Gaz de France ending at €35, a decline of 2.26 percent after the two said that they had agreed to new terms regarding their merger.

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.