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eEuropean shares edged higher to trade near a five-year high by midday trading on Thursday, with automobile and financial sectors advancing after some encouraging company results.
Reuters reported that the European automobile index climbed 1.5 per cent, the top sectoral gainer, led by a 5.8 per cent jump in Finnish tyre maker Nokian Renkaat after it reported better-than predicted operating profit.
The market also got support from a 1.2 per cent gain in the banking sector, with Spain’s Banco Popular rising 6.9 per cent after posting better than expected nine-month earnings thanks to trading and capital gains.
Earnings results were mixed on Thursday, with oil major Royal Dutch Shell’s third quarter profits undershooting analysts’ forecasts and pushing its shares 4.5 per cent lower.
“The earnings that are coming through are weak but stable. The broader environment is much more supportive of equity prices,” said Oliver Wallin, investment director at Octopus Investments.
“The amount of liquidity in the markets and the capacity in Europe and Japan to inject further is generally positive for the market.”
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index was up 0.3 per cent at 1,291.43 points after climbing to a five-year high in the previous session. However, the index remained on track to record a second straight month of gains.
Source:Punch
