Europe: Stocks stable at open before Christmas

[LONDON] European stocks steadied Friday on the last trading day before Christmas, with investors digesting Italy's bailout for Monte dei Paschi di Siena bank.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index of top blue-chip companies fell almost 0.1 per cent to 7,059.72 points, ahead of publication of third-quarter British economic growth data.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 rose 0.2 per cent to 11,477.23 and the CAC 40 in Paris added nearly 0.1 per cent to 4,837.41.

Milan's FTSE MIB was 0.7 per cent higher at 19,257 points.

In the early hours of Friday, the Italian government approved a bailout plan to rescue the country's struggling banks, with Monte dei Paschi di Siena likely the first in line to receive state aid.

AFP