Both the Nikkei 225 and the Topix index saw gains in Tokyo on Wednesday despite problems in communications caused by a significant earthquake off the coast of Taiwan. The Nikkei added 0.31 percent to 17,223.15, while the Topix gained 0.27 percent to 1,676.95.
Nippon Steel saw a second day of gains in a row as [...]

In Europe on Wednesday the FTSE Eurofirst 300 came within two points of a five and a half year high as it closed up 1.1 percent to 1,487.89.
Technology sectors saw gains on the session. SAP, the software group, was 1.6 percent higher to €40.25. Meanwhile, in the semiconductors sector, ASML gained 2.7 percent [...]

In early after noon trade on Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had added 0.60 percent to 12,481.57. The Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 were also higher, with the Nasdaq gaining 0.63 percent to 2,428.80 and the S&P advancing 0.51 percent to 1,424.19. The Russell 2000 small-caps index was up 0.87 percent [...]

The New York equities markets were up slightly at midday as investors returned from the Christmas holiday weekend, but trade was light with many expected to remain on holiday all week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.31 percent higher to 12,381.27, while the Nasdaq Composite had added 0.32 percent to 2,408.75 and the [...]

After losses early in the session, the Nikkei 225 managed to add 0.3 percent on Friday to close at 17,104.96. The Topix index was up as well, but only by 0.1 percent to 1,672.10
Miners with exposure to copper were lower on the day after copper prices fell overnight. Dowa Holdings dropped 2 percent [...]

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 dropped 1.1 percent to 1,472.65 during the week as trade was light as the Christmas holiday approached.
Among the losers on the week was the Spanish construction sector. Sacyr-Vallehermoso, which dropped 7.4 percent to €46 after it said it has taken a bank loan of €5.175 billion to pay for its [...]

In a short session ahead of the long Christmas weekend, the FTSE 100 added 0.1 percent to 6,190.0. The FTSE 250 was also higher, gaining 0.2 percent to 11,083.5. Volumes were extremely light, with fewer than 1 billion shares changing hands. The 250 was even on the week, while the 100 dropped [...]

Weakness in the yen helped the Tokyo equities markets to make gains on Thursday. However, advances were limited on the Nikkei because of a scandal in the consumer finance sector. The Nikkei 225 closed at 17,047.83, a gain of 0.2 percent, while the Topix index added 0.3 percent to 1,671.30.
Export-focused sectors were especially [...]

After gains early in the session, the FTSE Eurofirst 300 ended at 1,4479, a decline of 0.2 percent. Several sectors contributed to the decline.
Still, there were gainers on the session. In the luxury goods sector, Swatch Group added 0.8 percent to SFr54.00, while Richemont, which owns the Cartier brand of watches, gained 3 [...]

The London equities markets were mixed on the last full trading day before Christmas, with the FTSE 100 0.2 percent lower to 6,183.7 but the FTSE 250 adding 0.2 percent to 11,066.4. Volume was light, with around 2 billion shares trading hands.
Miners were hurt by dropping copper prices. Vedanta Resources dropped 16p to [...]