Most European stock markets overcame earlier losses to finish higher this evening, with a successful auction of Portuguese debt easing concerns about European banks and debt levels.
London's FTSE added 0.4% to close at 5,430, with oil giant BP finishing up 1.3% at 412p after releasing the findings of an investigation into its Gulf of Mexico disaster. In Paris the CAC rose 0.9% to 3,677, while in Frankfurt the DAX gained 0.8% to 6,164.
But Dublin's ISEQ ended 25 points (0.9%) lower at 2,758, with banks weaker. Bank of Ireland fell 2.8% to 70 cent and Irish Life & Permanent dropped 4% to €1.63. CRH lost more than 3% to €13.04. Recruitment group CPL fell more than 2% to €2.35 despite reporting an increase in annual profits.
US share prices rebounded, helped by the gains in European markets. The Dow Jones was up 0.7% at 10,414, while the Nasdaq was 1.2% higher at 2,235.
Earlier in Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei index shed 2.2% to finish at 9,025 as the yen's advance to a new 15-year high extinguished an upbeat mood gained from last week's better than expected economic figures. The Hong Kong's Hang Seng index closed 1.4% lower at 21,089.
