Reuters: European shares inched higher early on Monday, helped by strong energy shares while takeover action lifted insurance stocks, but rising tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme kept a leash on sentiment. PARIS (Reuters) – European shares inched higher early on Monday, helped by strong energy shares while takeover action lifted insurance stocks, but rising tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme kept a leash on sentiment.
Oil prices rose to two-month highs as world powers prepared to meet in London on Monday to discuss a tightening of United Nations sanctions against Iran, the world’s fourth largest oil exporter.
Back on the corporate newsfront, French reinsurer Scor said it would launch a public offer for all outstanding shares in Converium, after earlier securing a third of the Swiss group. Scor shares fell 1 percent.
By 0810 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was 0.2 percent higher at 1,547.17 points, nearing a six-year high of 1,552.59 points.
