The German share price index, DAX board, is seen at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, March 15, 2018. REUTERS/Staff/Remote
March 16, 2018
LONDON (Reuters) – European shares saw a muted start to trading on Friday, with exchange delays hampering trade in German equities, though NEX Group was a big mover after a takeover offer.
The pan-European STOXX 600 <.STOXX> index was flat in percentage terms by 0822 GMT, on track for a slight loss in a week dominated by geopolitical tensions and chaos in the Trump administration.
Germany’s DAX <.GDAXI> index did not open, and trading in Siemens’ <SIEGn.DE> Healthineers <SHLG.DE> was also delayed.
Deal-making was once again in focus on European stocks, with shares in exchange operator NEX Group <NXGN.L> soaring more than 33 percent to the top of the STOXX following a preliminary takeover offer from U.S.-based exchange operator CME Group <CME.O>.
Telecoms group Altice <ATCA.AS> jumped 5.7 percent following its results, with the debt-ridden group saying it is seeing signs of a recovery in the competitive French market.
However shares in UK housebuilder Berkeley Group <BKGH.L> fell 5.6 percent after the company said it could not boost building volumes beyond current plans due to planning constraints.
(Reporting by Kit Rees)
