Europe Markets Europe Markets Overview

European shares closed higher Thursday, with the market taking direction from an opening rise on Wall Street where the S&P 500 hit the 1,500 mark for the first time since December 2007.

European shares inched higher on Wednesday, with a key index moving back towards a near two-year high hit recently.

European shares closed flat on Tuesday as shares of Deutsche Bank weighed heavily on Germany's DAX Index after rumors that the German financial sector regulator had asked it to simulate a split of investment banking and retail operations.

European shares closed higher on Monday, managing to hold onto earlier gains as investor sentiment was buoyed by an agreement among U.S. Republicans on Friday to extend the debt ceiling for three months.

European shares slipped on Friday as disappointing economic data in the UK and U.S. dampened sentiment.

European shares closed higher on Thursday afternoon after stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs data.

European shares ended mostly flat on Wednesday, bouncing off intraday lows as many investors used the early dip to boost their exposure to equities.

Technology stocks fell to push European shares lower and send Germany's benchmark DAX index to a 2013 low on Tuesday.

European equities ended at their lowest in nearly a week on Monday, with an early sell-off in U.S. shares on concerns over demand for Apple's iPhone 5 prompting some investors to take profits.

European equities stalled on Friday, with weak economic data from the United States and concerns about the scope for more stimulus in China giving investors the excuse to lock in profits.

European shares closed narrowly mixed after the European Central Bank and the Bank of England left interest rates unchanged Thursday, while a better-than-expected trade report from China provided support for investor sentiment.

Rallying telecom stocks and a bullish start to the new earnings season propelled Europe's top shares to fresh 22-month closing highs.

European shares surrendered their gains on Tuesday afternoon and turned slightly negative, tracking losses on Wall Street.

European shares finished in negative territory Monday, but financials helped limit losses after global banking regulators announced a watering down of key elements of their plan for banking rules.

European shares extended gains to set a new 22-month high on Friday, after a better-than-expected U.S. jobs data.

European shares finished mixed Thursday, while the Swiss SMI index soared over 2 percent, catching up on gains following the U.S. "fiscal cliff" deal.

European shares closed sharply higher on Wednesday and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 topped 6,000 points, after the U.S. finally approved a bill to avert the "fiscal cliff".

European shares ended in negative territory Friday as investors remained cautious over the looming "fiscal cliff" and following some weak economic reports.