GERMANY (OBSERVATORY) – European shares rose on Wednesday, supported by a series of good corporate results as investors shifted to the first-quarter season instead of geopolitical developments.
The Stoxx 600 index rose 0.1 percent by 0720 GMT, while Britain’s FTSE 100 gained 0.3 percent and Germany’s DAX <.GDAXI> rose 0.1 percent.
The rise in sectors linked to the economic cycle, such as the financial services and manufacturing sectors, contributed most of the gains.
Europe’s first-quarter earnings season is expected to see modest earnings growth, especially when compared to the United States.
According to Thomson Reuters A / B / E / S data, European corporate earnings are expected to rise 1.9 percent from the second quarter of 2017, up 0.8 percent after the energy sector exception.