* European shares hit fresh lifetime peak
* STOXX ends little changed in thin trade
* Optimism over trade deal lifts spirits
* U.S. stocks also hit fresh record highs
Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters
stocks reporters and anchored today by Joice Alves. Reach her on Messenger to share your
thoughts on market moves: joice.alves.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net
CLOSING SNAPSHOT: STOXX ANCHORED AT RECORD (1702 GMT)
European bourses closed mixed today in thin pre-holiday trade but underlying optimism over
the signing of an initial trade deal between Washington and Beijing keep the STOXX 600
benchmark anchored around its life-time highs.
On the day, the pan-regional index ended just flat following a choppy session, while other
indexes showed either slight gains or slight losses, as you can see in the closing snapshot:
(Danilo Masoni)
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NEW RECORDS (1248 GMT)
It has been a morning of records for European bourses. Here they are:
1) Europe's pan-regional index has just hit fresh highs surpassing the record hit a
week ago
2) Swiss Market Index has also extended gains to reach its record high
3) Europe's health care index hit record high, last up 0.5%, with NMC Health up
almost 32%
In Britain, the exporter-heavy FTSE 100 is on course for its best month since June
and the more domestically-focussed midcap index is nearing new record highs, while in
the U.S., futures are pointing to fresh records also on Wall Street.
Investors are becoming more confident the U.S. and China will finally reach an initial trade
deal and that Britain will leave the bloc next year, traders say.
Yet the records are not a game changer as liquidity today is rather low as we are closer to
Christmas.
Raymond James' Chris Bailey says: "Given the low liquidity conditions, it does not take much
to change the market. Note too the lack of real losers".
"Classic squeeze up just ahead of Christmas - can easily reverse too on another quieter
day," he continues.
Take a look at the records and the crash in trade volumes (in pink).
(Joice Alves)
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OPENING SNAPSHOT: ATLANTIA AND NMC HEALTH (0842 GMT)
European bourses opened slightly lower today with the Stoxx 600 index down 0.1% and
the FTSE 100 down 0.2% ahead of the Christmas holiday break.
Overall, the banking sector is leading declines, while in terms of single stock,
Italian toll roll operator Atlantia shares lead the fall this morning, down 3.9% as
Italy's government failed to agree on Saturday on a law that would make it easier and less
costly to revoke concessions to operate motorways.
The top gainer is NMC Health, up 20.7%, as it launched an independent review of its
books hoping to reassure investors after Muddy Waters last week called out the healthcare
group's financials.
Here is a snapshot of the European bourses:
(Joice Alves)
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ON OUR RADAR: HOLIDAYS AND M&A (0753 GMT)
Futures point to a lower open in Europe this morning as we head to the Christmas break.
Retailers could be under pressure after The Times reported that the number of British online
retailers in distress has risen by 65% over the past three years to 9,000, citing insolvency
firm Begbies Traynor.
On the M&A front, the British government gave the go-ahead to private equity firm Advent
International's $5 billion purchase of defence company Cobham. One trader sees Cobham
risisng 1% at the open.
In another private-equity deal, Lone Star has entered a deal to buy BASF's
construction chemicals business for 3.17 billion euros on a cash and debt-free basis. The German
chemicals company said on Saturday it wants to focus on more profitable operations.
One trader sees Intu Properties up 1-2% after it sold Puerto Venecia Shopping
Centre for 475.3 million euros.
(Joice Alves)
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CHRISTMAS IMPACT(0650 GMT)
It is hard to predict a direction for European bourses today as pre-market futures point to
a lower open this morning as market activities slows down ahead of Christmas and Boxing Day
banking holidays.
Britain's futures are down 0.2% while Germany's Dax futures are down 0.1% in
pre-market as investors seem concerned about a chaotic Brexit at the end of next year.
But elsewhere, declining trading volumes ahead of Christmas holiday break meant Asian
markets idled near 18-month highs, with investors taking profit on gains made earlier this
month.
Global investors are also more focused on the development of China and the U.S. trade talks
after the U.S. President Donald Trump gave markets more reasons to cheer on Saturday when he
said the two countries would "very shortly" sign the "Phase 1" trade pact.
(Joice Alves)
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(Reporting by Danilo Masoni, Joice Alves, Julien Ponthus and Thyagaraju Adinarayan)
