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Stock trades on European sites were opened in positive zone

Stock trading on European stock-exchange sites on the last day of 2008. pass on the positive territory. Today at the site observed a relatively low level of activity. European investors focused on the favorable external background – in the United States on the basis of trading sessions prior to major indexes rose more than 2%, and today futures on leading U.S. stock market indicators show divergent momentum with a predominance of positive – and rising prices for metals.

growth of prices for nickel and gold provided a quotation of shares increasing global mining giant BHP Billiton Ltd (+3%) and its smaller rival Rio Tinto Group (+3%). Support for stocks Rio Tinto also had news that the company sold its share in JV for the production of aluminum in China affiliate Qingtongxia Aluminium Co to reduce debt.

Paper mining and gold-mining companies are now the most attractive. As expected, rising gold prices will continue next year against a backdrop of a number of geopolitical risks and the weakening dollar.

successfully created a situation on the trading floors for cellular operator Vodafone Group Plc. Share prices the company increased by 2%, after increasing the recommendation of its analysts Credit Suisse Group AG. Without the attention of investors have not gone and other corporate news, in particular, reports of prospective mergers. Share prices of independent fund managers Aberdeen Asset Management Plc soared 12% after the company agreed to buy some assets from Credit Suisse worth approximately 250 million pounds.

Rostom quotes noted and paper Imperial Energy, carries out exploration and extraction of oil in Russia and Kazakhstan. Today it became known that an offer of Indian Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to acquire the British company’s owners approved a nearly 97% of the shares in Imperial Energy.

As a result, as of 12:06 Moscow time FTSE 100 index rose by 0.9%, at 4432.21 point, CAC 40 rose 0.7% to 3239.28 points. In Germany the market share went to the New Year holidays.