(MENAFN- AFP) European stock markets rose Tuesday, as investors reacted to upbeat company results, takeover speculation and another record-breaking run on Wall Street, dealers said.
London's benchmark FTSE 100 index added 0.10 percent to 6,858.40 points approaching midday in the British capital.
Frankfurt's DAX 30 won 0.70 percent to 9,770.79 points, despite news of falling investor sentiment in Germany.
In Paris the CAC 40 gained 0.27 percent to 4,505.62 compared with Monday's closing value, with Airbus Group flying high on news of rocketing quarterly profits.
"The FTSE 100 is ... higher, emboldened by the US markets once again setting new highs," said Alastair McCaig at trading firm IG.
All three main European indices also climbed on Monday as investors shrugged off concerns about the Ukraine-Russia crisis following disputed referendums last weekend.
- Markets look beyond Ukraine -
"Investors continue to look beyond the ongoing crisis in eastern Ukraine and instead focus on the improving economic data and reports of more merger and acquisition activity," added Alpari analyst Craig Erlam.
Markets digested reports that US telecoms giant AT&T is prepared to acquire satellite TV provider DirecTV in a deal that values it at nearly $50 billion.
Talks are at an advanced stage and a deal could be announced in two weeks or even earlier, the Wall Street Journal said Tuesday quoting people close to the deal.
Wall Street surged Monday to all-time highs as dealers raced back into technology shares after a recent sell-off that saw household names like Twitter and Netflix tumble.
New York's Dow and S&P 500 closed at fresh record peaks on Monday, spurred by a strong rally in technology stocks that lifted the Nasdaq Composite Index by nearly 1.8 percent.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 0.68 percent to end at 16,695.47 points, while the S&P 500 gained 0.97 percent to 1,896.65.
- Global growth outlook brightens -
"The ongoing improvement in global investor risk sentiment is being supported by the strengthening economic growth outlook in the advanced economies with the US economy rebounding strongly after the sharp slowdown in the first quarter of the year, and the economic recovery in Europe continuing to gain upward momentum," said economist Lee Hardman at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ in London.
Asian markets mostly rose Tuesday following another record close on Wall Street, with Japan's Nikkei boosted by a weakening yen and Indian shares surging on an expected clear win for Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi in general elections.
Tokyo jumped 1.95 percent, Sydney rose 0.91 percent, Hong Kong added 0.41 percent and in late trade Mumbai's Sensex was up 1.55 percent.
Back in Europe, Airbus Group flew to the top of the Paris market after the aircraft maker posted a near-doubling of net profit in the first quarter.
Earnings after taxation rocketed 93 percent to 439 million euros ($604.5 million), compared with the same part of the previous year, the company said in a results statement.
In reaction, Airbus saw its share price surge 6.32 percent to 52.62 euros.
Back in London, shares in AstraZeneca rallied 1.19 percent to 4,635 pence after Pfizer hinted that it may raise its $106-billion takeover bid for the British drug giant.
In Paris, shares in Renault rose 2.2 percent to 68.29 euros after its Japanese ally Nissan reported a 14 percent gain in net profit last year on a 20 percent increase in sales.
Shares in French media company Lagardere dropped 2.8 percent however to 24.11 euros after it reported falling sales in the first quarter of this year.
In foreign exchange Tuesday, the euro dropped to $1.3745 from $1.3758 late in New York on Monday.
The price of gold reversed to $1,292.88 an ounce on the London Bullion Market from $1,298.75 on Monday.
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