European Stocks Pare Declines; GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca Shares Advance

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks pared declines as
shares of GlaxoSmithKline Plc and AstraZeneca Plc advanced.

Europe's Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index was little changed at
389.03 at 12:30 p.m. in London, after losing as much as 0.9
percent. The Stoxx 50 added 0.1 percent, while the Euro Stoxx 50,
a measure for the euro region, fell 0.2 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European stocks at new 6-yr high, FTSE index leads

European shares hit their highest levels in six years on Thursday, boosted by gains in oil firms and pharmaceuticals which helped the FTSE 100 index outperform, while global equities also rose on U.S. rate cut expectations.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 1.4 percent to 1,535.6, taking the year's gains so far to 3.5 percent after last year's 16 percent rally. U.S. stocks were also trading higher.


BHP Billiton added 3.5 percent and Anglo American rose 2.7 percent. AstraZeneca advanced 3.4 percent as it unveiled plans to cut 4.6 percent of its global workforce and the pharmaceutical firm also met 2006 forecasts.

Read more at Reuters South Africa