BERLIN, April 8 — European shares rallied today to erase weekly losses, while investors focused on a tight race between far-right rival Marine Le Pen and incumbent Emmanuel Macron in the runup to the first round of French presidential elections over the weekend.
Topping the index was Banco BPM’s 14.1 per cent surge, after French bank Credit Agricole said it has bought a 9.2 per cent stake in Italy’s third-largest bank. “Investor mood is not very optimistic these days. As long as earnings are okay, we could see positive surprises on the back of that.” “Europe wasn’t really the best place already because of what is going on in Ukraine. It’s going to be tricky for Europe to significantly outperform until we have clarity. The next month and a half will be pretty important for Europe,” said Lafargue.