Market Update
European markets were slightly up changed Thursday.
The FTSE edged up 0.1%. The CAC 40 Paris was up 0.3% while the DAX edged up 0.1%.
Data earlier showed industrial production in the euro-zone rose more than expected in April over March by a seasonally adjusted 0.8%, above forecasts for a 0.4% increase.
The markets open half an hour late in Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Lisbon due to a technical glitch at market operator Euronext.
Stocks on the Move
Aussie miners BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto fell 1.6% and 2.8% each respectively after a decline in London copper prices. Anglo American also gave up 3.1%.
Over in Paris, BNP Paribas was in focus after the company said its CEO will step down at the end of the month. BNP shares gained a percent.
Alstom SA was up 0.9% after Hitachi said it would join Mitsubishi Heavy and Siemen’s to bid against GE for the French company’s power assets.
Bouygues SA added 4.6% while Iliad SA added almost 7%, lifted by hopes of more consolidation in the sector.
Airline operator Fraport gained half a percent after it said passenger numbers in May increased at its main Frankfurt hub.