LONDON — Most of Europe’s stock markets made minimal gains this morning.
The FTSE 100 in London was up 0.2 percent to 5,520.99. The CAC 40 in Paris rose 0.2 percent to 3.076.01. The DAX in Frankfurt increased 0.2 percent to 5,784.25, while the FTSE MIB in Milan gained 0.1 percent to 14,804.30.
Investors were said to be skittish ahead of a second auction of Italy’s debt later today. While the country successfully auctioned short-term debt Wednesday, today it will auction 10- and three-year bonds. On Wednesday the yields on Italy’s 10-year bonds still remained at 7 percent, a level that’s viewed as an unsustainable borrowing cost for the country.
You May Also Like
Mining and banking groups, including Lloyds Banking Group and BHP Bilton in London and BNP Paribas in Paris, were the highest risers, after having been among those with the biggest declines Wednesday.
It was a very mixed morning for luxury, fashion and retail stocks. The few stocks that managed to rise included Burberry, up 0.8 percent to 11.97 pounds; Marcolin, up 2.9 percent to 3.37 euros, and PPR, up 0.3 percent to 109.35 euros. Those that fell the most included French Connection, down 5.5 percent to 39 pence; Safilo Group, down 1.2 percent to 4.87 euros, and Hugo Boss, down 3.4 percent to 53 euros.
The euro traded at $1.30, while the pound was trading at $1.56.
In Asia, The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo closed down 0.3 percent to 8,398.89, and the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong closed down 0.7 percent to 18,397.92.