(menafn – ecpulse)
European shares fluctuated by Midday on Monday ahead of EU finance ministers meeting later on today in Brussels to discuss methods to contain the spreading debt crisis.
European officials will discuss the possibility of expanding the 750 billion-euro lifeline package announced in May, introduction of joint European bonds and to approve Ireland's 85 billion-euro rescue package.
There is a split among euro zone members as some prefer enlarging the 750 billion-euro package and issuing new joint bonds while others, Germany and France, reject the two ideas as they claim that debt-trapped economies should depend on themselves in repairing their finances rater than relying on external help.
So far, the Irish bailout plan could not restore confidence causing rise in bond yields and drop in the European common currency in the absence of economic fundamentals from major economies.
Also, shares were affected earlier today by Bernanke's announcement that increasing QE2 beyond 600 billion is possible.
In numbers, Index STOXX EUROPE 600 rose 0.01% to record 270.95 at 07:00 EST, while STXE 50 index slipped 0.19% to 2548.98 levels.
The rise came today in the index STOXX EUROPE 600 after the rise of most sectors in the index led by Oil & Gas followed by Basic Materials and Industrials where stock with the biggest increase was De La Rue which soared 18.46% to 767.00 pounds.
Looking at the major European indices, Britain's FTSE index added 0.27% to 5760.80 levels; the rise in the index came largely from Telecommunications, Industrials and Oil & Gas sectors respectively, while Vodafone Group share, which augmented 1.37% to 166.30 pounds, was the highest gainer.
The French CAC index fell 0.27% to 3740.49 levels, boosted by the decline in Financials, Telecommunications and Health Care while the stock that had the biggest fall was BNP Paribas which edged down 1.69% to 48.01 euros.
Germany's DAX index inclined 0.02% to 6949.02 levels, where the leading sectors were Industrials, Basic Materials, and Consumer Goods. ThyssenKrupp share was the largest winner as it added 2.96% to 30.96 euros.
