By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European stocks trudged higher
Wednesday, but gains were small after a run of six straight wins
for the region's equity benchmark.
The Stoxx Europe 600 index picked up 0.1% to 336.73, a mild rise
after strong advances for regional stocks in the previous session
that were supported by upbeat manufacturing readings from the euro
zone and the U.S. The index on Tuesday closed up 0.6%.
Among the sharpest decliners on Wednesday were shares of
Deutsche Boerse AG , down 2.4% as the German exchange operator said
its Clearstream Banking unit is subject to a criminal investigation
in the U.S. related to alleged violations of money laundering and
Iran sanction laws.
France's CAC 40 was down 0.2% at 6,640.53, pulling back after
logging its highest closing level since September 2008. Pressure
came in part from ArcelorMittal . The steelmaker's shares dragged
1.5% lower after a ratings downgrade to neutral from outperform at
Credit Suisse, "based on lack of earnings momentum, cycle risk and
valuation."
The U.K.'s FTSE 100 swung between small gains and losses,
recently picking up 0.1% at 6,661.67. Germany's DAX 30 index rose
0.2% to 9,641.33, aided by a 3.6% gain in shares of Deutsche Post
AG following a projection of earnings growth from the logistics and
mail company.
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