European stocks mixed as EU warns Greece to accept debt deal


(MENAFN- AFP) Europe's main stock markets closed mixed Friday as the EU warned Greece to accept a debt deal with its international creditors or head towards default.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index edged up 0.04 percent to end the day at 6,710.45 points.

In the eurozone, the CAC 40 in Paris added 0.25 percent to 4,815.37 points while Frankfurt's DAX 30 fell 0.54 percent to 11,040.10 points.

"There is increasing volatility across global markets as we continue to read headlines that time is running out for Greece," said Myrto Sokou, senior research analyst at Sucden Financial.

"The euro came under renewed pressure today and slid lower towards 1.13 against the US dollar as the Greek economic conditions have deteriorated during last week," Sokou added.

The euro slid to $1.1335 from $1.1371 late on Thursday in New York.

Greece on Friday insisted a last-ditch deal on its debt was possible and dismissed "terror scenarios" of a default that is looking increasingly likely, as emergency European meetings continue in a bid to end the standoff.

"Those who invest in crisis and terror scenarios will be proven wrong," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's office said, amid reports that Greeks banks are struggling to cope with a rush of deposit withdrawals, fuelled by the ill-tempered talks with Greece's EU-IMF creditors.

But EU president Donald Tusk told Greece to accept a debt deal with its European and IMF creditors or face defaulting as he prepared an emergency summit Monday on Athens's future in the eurozone.

"We are close to the point where the Greek government will have to choose between accepting what I believe is a good offer of continued support or to head towards default," Tusk said in a video message Friday.

- ECB backs Greek banks -

The European Central Bank on Friday raised the level of emergency funding for Greek banks, according to banking sources, with the state news agency ANA putting the increase at 3.3 billion euros.

Emergency funding from the ECB has been keeping Greek banks afloat as the standoff between the radical left government in Athens and the EU and IMF has dragged on for five months.

Athens' main stock market Friday ended the day up 0.57 percent at 687.33 points.

Asian stock markets meanwhile mostly rose Friday, following a record lead from Wall Street Thursday, although Shanghai dove 6.42 percent as tight market liquidity caused by new share issues triggered a large sell-off.

New York's three main indices had rallied on Thursday, with analysts attributing the gains mostly to the pledge this week from Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen that the US central bank will only gradually raise interest rates.

The comments eased worries about a sharp rise in borrowing rates in the world's top economy and key driver of global growth.

US shares were slightly lower in midday trading on Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average reversing 0.28 percent to 18,064.42 points and the broad-based S&P 500 giving up 0.27 percent to 2,115.55.

After sweeping to a new record Thursday, the Nasdaq Composite Index slipped 0.20 percent to 5,122.83.


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