Europe Markets Overview

European shares fell on Wednesday as investors booked profits on a rally that had sent several markets to multi-year highs, led by weakness in the mining sector after metals prices fell.

Europe's top equity indexes bounced up to multi-year highs on Tuesday, buoyed by the breach of key technical levels, a crop of upbeat corporate outlooks and prospects of continued stimulus from global central banks.

European equities finished a volatile session broadly flat on Monday after investors balanced fresh assurances of global central bank stimulus against some disappointing earnings.

European shares edged lower on Friday, impacted by weaker bank and mining stocks, and traders expected equities to stay trapped in a tight range this month.

European shares closed higher on Thursday as investors watched to see whether a last-minute deal can avert the $85 billion of automatic spending cuts due in the U.S. on Friday.

European shares extended gains in the afternoon session on Wednesday, helped by a successful bond auction in Italy and the U.S. Federal Reserve's defense of its asset purchases on Tuesday.

Euro zone shares sank to three month lows on Tuesday after an Italian election stalemate renewed concerns about the future of the euro zone.

Uncertainty over the Italian election outcome dragged European indexes off their highs on concern that an unclear outcome could hamper the country's effort to implement economic reforms.

European shares closed steeply higher on Friday, reversing losses in Thursday's volatile trading session.

A sharp fall on the Milan stock market hit European shares on Thursday, with uncertainty over this weekend's Italian elections.

European shares closed lower on Wednesday following varied earning reports. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 Index moved in-and-out of the red in a choppy day of trading.

European shares rallied on Tuesday, with stronger than expected German sentiment data prompting investors to return to economically sensitive sectors like autos and technology.

European shares closed mixed on Monday after weakness in mining stocks was offset by gains in sectors such as utilities and real estate.

European shares nudged lower on Friday, though strategists reckoned that any dips in the equity markets should be seen as a buying opportunity.

European shares ended lower on Thursday after investor sentiment was hit by weak regional growth data.

European shares extended gains to close higher on Wednesday, bolstered by a strong open on Wall Street.

UK banks led European shares higher on Tuesday after Britain's third biggest lender, Barclays, unveiled swingeing cost cuts and a strategic overhaul.

European shares closed lower on Monday as sharp falls in Danish pharma group Novo Nordisk outweighed rallies in rival Sanofi and Dutch retailer Ahold.

Rebounding banks helped European shares recover on Friday after data pointing to a potentially stronger recovery in global growth.