Tech rebound lifts Europe
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October 3, 2000: 12:41 p.m. ET
Software shares surge after bullish corporate outlook; media, oil stocks up
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LONDON (CNNfn) - Europe's main markets closed higher Tuesday, as tech shares revived after a bullish earnings forecast, extending a rally by media and oil stocks.
London's benchmark FTSE 100 ended up 0.9 percent to 6,345.0, led by a 9.6 percent advance for computer software firm Misys (MSY).
The blue-chip CAC 40 index in Paris rose 0.8 percent to 6,400.99 as aerospace and defense firm EADS (PEAD) surged 7.2 percent.
Frankfurt's stock market was closed for the Reunification Day holiday.
click here for the biggest movers on the ftse 100 in London
click here for the biggest movers on the dax 30 in Frankfurt
click here for the biggest movers on the cac 40 in Paris
Among other leading European markets, the AEX index in Amsterdam climbed 0.6 percent, Zurich's SMI index added 0.8 percent, and the MIB 30 in Milan gained barely 0.1 percent.
The broader FTSE Eurotop 300 index, a basket of Europe's largest companies, rose 0.7 percent, with its information technology sub-index up 2.3 percent.
In the currency market, the euro was lower against the dollar, fetching 87.43 U.S. cents compared with 87.86 cents in late New York trading a day earlier.
In the U.S., the Dow Jones industrial average was up 1 percent and the Nasdaq composite index gained 0.4 percent.
Tech stocks come back fighting
Misys surged in London after the company said it was increasingly bullish about the current financial year. The news also boosted business software company Sage (SGE), which ended up 7.5 percent.
French computer consulting firm Cap Gemini (PCAP) rose 3.2 percent and network equipment maker Alcatel (PCGE) closed 5.1 percent higher.
British Internet service provider Freeserve (FRE) gained 3.4 percent and telecom equipment maker Marconi (MNI) was up 2 percent.
Media shares were also among the leaders on London's FTSE 100, with newspaper publisher Daily Mail & General Trust up 5.8 percent, paring Monday's 7.2 percent drop. Cable firm Telewest Communications (TWT) added 6.2 percent, and music firm EMI Group (EMI) gained 5.2 percent.
Catering and hotel company Granada Compass (GCP), the largest shareholder in terrestrial television broadcaster Granada Media (GME), rose 6.3 percent. Granada Media was up 2.9 percent.
In Paris, EADS continued to score gains in Paris, leading the CAC index. The European aerospace and defense company rose to a record high after its 80 percent-owned Airbus airliner business on Monday announced an order for super-jumbo A3XX jets from Singapore Airlines. The company's stock has also benefited from a series of favorable reports by analysts.
Vivendi (PEX) rallied 3.1 percent after the French media and utilities firm late Monday unveiled a 67 percent rise in first-half net profit, as earnings surged at its communications unit and a one-time gain on asset sales also boosted income.
Canal Plus (PAN), a pay-TV operator that is 49-percent owned by Vivendi, rose 2.3 percent. Rival broadcaster TF1 (PTFI), which was a leading CAC decliner Monday, added 3.1 percent.
CAC 40 index heavyweight France Telecom (PFTE) gained 1.6 percent.
Among oil stocks, French energy powerhouse TotalFina Elf (PFP) climbed 1.5 percent. BP Amoco (BP-A) rose 0.9 percent and rival Shell Transport & Trading (SHEL) was up 1.3 percent. Italian gas company ENI was up 0.8 percent.
Britain's Nycomed Amersham (NAM) rose 2.6 percent after the medical technology company announced it formally notified the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of its plan for an initial public offering of 10 percent of its jointly owned life-sciences business, Amersham Pharmacia Biotech. The IPO had been expected.
Britain's HSBC Holdings (HSBA) rose 2.6 percent after the international bank denied a news report that said it was in merger talks with U.S. securities firm Merrill Lynch (MER: Research, Estimates).
In Paris, network service provider Equant (PEQU) fell 2.5 percent, while consumer electronic company Thomson Multimedia (PTMM) shed 4.1 percent.
British photocopier distributor Danka (DNK), not one of the FTSE index's 100 stocks, tumbled 20.3 percent Tuesday following an earnings warning Monday by U.S. copier maker Xerox (XRX: Research, Estimates).
-- from staff and wire reports
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