Shares perked up in postbourse dealings, boosted by a firmer dollar and strength on Wall Street, after a rather lacklustre performance in floor trade. The IBIS DAX, reflecting all-day computerised dealings, jumped off earlier lows in the afternoon to end at 2824.83 points.
CAC-40: 2248.70 (+29.81)
French stocks finished sharply higher buoyed by gains in the dollar and bond markets and takeover speculation on the bourse. Volume was a heavy seven billion francs, swollen by interest in the French retail and pharmaceutical sectors. Oil company Elf Aquitaine said it wanted to find a merger partner for its pharmaceutical and beauty products unit Sanofi.
Mibtel: 10478 (+72)
Italian stocks closed firm helped by positive international markets and some domestic political factors, notably the 1997 budget bill which passed in the upper house and now goes back to the lower house for ratification.