TOKYO: European stocks ended higher on Wednesday as a big fall in Greece affected Spanish and Italian markets and left shareholders wary ahead of the current message on the path of economic policy due from the US Federal Reserve statement later in the day.
The Stoxx Europe 600 index closed 0.1% higher having given up most of its early gains.
Germany’s DAX was 0.8% higher; France’s CAC-40 lost 0.3%, while the U.K.’s FTSE 100 rose 0.2%.
Spain’s IBEX 35 fell 1.3% and Italy’s FTSE MIB 0.8%.
Greek banks were the heaviest fallers, but the weakness also spread to the wider eurozone banking sector.
Elsewhere, some companies were lifted by upbeat earnings reports, with Electrolux AB and Nordea Bank AB climbing.
In currency markets, the euro slipped slightly against the dollar to $1.1345. The currency had recovered from 11-year lows on Tuesday amid broad weakness for the buck.
After some patchy economic data, “markets seem wary that Wednesday’s [Fed] statement could bring a dovish shift in message,” said currency strategists at BNP Paribas . Still, the Fed is likely to provide a renewed boost for the dollar by sticking to its message that rates will rise this year, they said.
In commodities markets, Brent crude oil was down 1.3% at $48.98 a barrel, and gold was 0.4% lower at $1,286.80 an ounce.
