European Stocks Including Xstrata, LSE Rise: Lanxess Declines
European stocks including Xstrata Plc, the world"s No. 1 thermal coal exporter, and London Stock Exchange Plc rose amid optimism mergers and acquisitions will boost earnings and lift share prices.
``We will see more mergers and acquisitions, and this will generate organic growth," said Stephen Pope, head of equity strategy at Cantor Fitzgerald in London. Takeovers ``will be quite a catalyst for stocks." He said he expects equity indexes to extend this year"s gains.
Chemical makers such as Lanxess AG and auto stocks including PSA Peugeot Citroen limited gains on benchmark indexes as oil traded near a record.
The Dow Jones Stoxx 50 Index added 0.4 percent to 3180.05 as of 9:10 a.m. in London. The Stoxx 600 increased 0.3 percent. The Euro Stoxx 50, a measure for the 12 countries using the euro, added 0.1 percent.
Xstrata agreed to buy 19.9 percent of Canada"s Falconbridge from Brascan Corp. for C$2.05 billion ($1.7 billion) to expand its metals output at a time of record prices. Xstrata shares rose 2.6 percent to 1,306 pence.
LSE rose 3.3 percent to 570 pence. Macquarie Bank, Australia"s biggest investment bank, said it may bid for London Stock Exchange, Europe"s largest exchange by value of companies listed, after regulators cleared the way for a takeover contest.
Separately, the Sunday Times reported yesterday that OMX AB, operator of the Swedish Stock Exchange, is also considering a bid. The newspaper report didn"t cite anyone.
Carrefour SA rose 2.1 percent to 39.40 euros. Europe"s largest retailer denied having ``any discussion" with Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world"s largest retailer, after Britain"s Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that top executives of both companies met within the last month.
Tesco Plc, Britain"s biggest retailer, might be interested in Carrefour, the Mail on Sunday said.
Oil Rises
Crude oil for September delivery climbed as high as $67.10 on the New York Mercantile Exchange on Aug. 12 after the close of trading in Europe, to finish at a record $66.86 a barrel, or 47 percent higher than a year ago. Oil last traded at $66.50.
Lanxess AG, Germany"s fourth-biggest chemicals maker, lost 1 percent to 22.21 euros. Peugeot, Europe"s second biggest carmaker, declined 0.8 percent to 51.9 euros.
``We have to keep an eye on those companies which are using a lot of materials as their input costs," said Lucy Macdonald, chief investment officer of global equities at RCM Ltd. in London, which oversees $49 billion. ``Those are the ones we have to watch, the oil users." Airlines are among the industries she doesn"t own.
Royal Philips Electronics NV added 1.8 percent to 21.90 euros. The world"s largest maker of light bulbs announced a 1.5 billion-euro ($1.86 billion) share-buyback plan to be carried out within the next 12 months.
The Stoxx 600 and the Stoxx 50 have added 15 percent this year.
``We will see more mergers and acquisitions, and this will generate organic growth," said Stephen Pope, head of equity strategy at Cantor Fitzgerald in London. Takeovers ``will be quite a catalyst for stocks." He said he expects equity indexes to extend this year"s gains.
Chemical makers such as Lanxess AG and auto stocks including PSA Peugeot Citroen limited gains on benchmark indexes as oil traded near a record.
The Dow Jones Stoxx 50 Index added 0.4 percent to 3180.05 as of 9:10 a.m. in London. The Stoxx 600 increased 0.3 percent. The Euro Stoxx 50, a measure for the 12 countries using the euro, added 0.1 percent.
Xstrata agreed to buy 19.9 percent of Canada"s Falconbridge from Brascan Corp. for C$2.05 billion ($1.7 billion) to expand its metals output at a time of record prices. Xstrata shares rose 2.6 percent to 1,306 pence.
LSE rose 3.3 percent to 570 pence. Macquarie Bank, Australia"s biggest investment bank, said it may bid for London Stock Exchange, Europe"s largest exchange by value of companies listed, after regulators cleared the way for a takeover contest.
Separately, the Sunday Times reported yesterday that OMX AB, operator of the Swedish Stock Exchange, is also considering a bid. The newspaper report didn"t cite anyone.
Carrefour SA rose 2.1 percent to 39.40 euros. Europe"s largest retailer denied having ``any discussion" with Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world"s largest retailer, after Britain"s Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that top executives of both companies met within the last month.
Tesco Plc, Britain"s biggest retailer, might be interested in Carrefour, the Mail on Sunday said.
Oil Rises
Crude oil for September delivery climbed as high as $67.10 on the New York Mercantile Exchange on Aug. 12 after the close of trading in Europe, to finish at a record $66.86 a barrel, or 47 percent higher than a year ago. Oil last traded at $66.50.
Lanxess AG, Germany"s fourth-biggest chemicals maker, lost 1 percent to 22.21 euros. Peugeot, Europe"s second biggest carmaker, declined 0.8 percent to 51.9 euros.
``We have to keep an eye on those companies which are using a lot of materials as their input costs," said Lucy Macdonald, chief investment officer of global equities at RCM Ltd. in London, which oversees $49 billion. ``Those are the ones we have to watch, the oil users." Airlines are among the industries she doesn"t own.
Royal Philips Electronics NV added 1.8 percent to 21.90 euros. The world"s largest maker of light bulbs announced a 1.5 billion-euro ($1.86 billion) share-buyback plan to be carried out within the next 12 months.
The Stoxx 600 and the Stoxx 50 have added 15 percent this year.