European markets rise on positive U.S. jobless data
Banca Monte Paschi slumps as much as 8.2% in trading
24 January, 20:00
(ANSA) - Milan, January 24 - Markets rose across Europe on Thursday, paced by Milan's FTSE Mib index, as stocks advanced to highest levels in almost two years amid positive US jobless claims data. Claims for jobless benefits in the US dropped last week, according to a Labor Department report on Thursday. Unemployment insurance payments applications dropped by 5,000 to 330,000 in the week ended January 19, the lowest weekly amount posted since 2008. Monte Paschi slumped as much as 8.2 percent to 23.3 euro cents amid a breaking derivatives scandal. Italy's central bank late Wednesday said it has requested information on transactions the world's oldest lender hid from regulators, amid news reports the bank may be forced to take a loss in the millions of euros in relation to the trades. Italy's FTSE Mib index gained 1% to 17,756 points. The yield spread between 10-year Italian bonds and the German benchmark debt, a barometer of Italy's borrowing costs in the eurozone crisis, closed at 258 points with 10-year yields at 4.2%.
The Frankfurt Dax bourse advanced 0.5% to 7,748 points, while the Paris Cac 40 Index rose 0.7% to 3,752 points. Madrid's IBEX index advanced 0.6% to 8,665 points. London's FTSE-100 stock market gained 1% to 6,264 points.
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