European stocks inched higher on Wednesday as Brexit talks edged towards their final deadline and France reopened its borders with the U.K. to travelers and truck drivers who test negative for Covid-19.
Political editor Robert Peston said a trade deal between the United Kingdom and the European Union is possible on Wednesday after progress in talks on fishing rights.
The EU is making a "final push" to strike a trade deal with Britain, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said on Tuesday before meeting EU ambassadors in Brussels.
The pan European Stoxx 600 edged up 0.3 percent to 392.51 after gaining 1.2 percent on Tuesday.
The German DAX gained half a percent and France's CAC 40 index inched up 0.4 percent, while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was down 0.1 percent as the pound rebounded from a three-ay decline.
Daimler rallied 2.6 percent after business newspaper Handelsblatt reported the luxury carmaker is planning an initial public offering (IPO) of Daimler Trucks in late 2021.
Personal care company L'Oréal gained half a percent after it signed an agreement to acquire Japan's Takami Co. that markets the TAKAMI skincare brand.
British Land Co. shares edged up slightly. The property development and investment company announced its agreement to sell a 75 percent interest in a portfolio of three buildings in the West End to Allianz Real Estate, acting on behalf of several Allianz Group companies, for 401 million pounds.
Software company Sage Group was moving lower after entering into an agreement for the sale of its businesses in Asia and Australia (excluding global products) to The Access Group.
Drug maker Roche Group declined half a percent. The company said that the European Commission has approved Phesgo for the treatment of early and metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
