MW: Europe stocks open up ahead of data, Fed decision
By Barbara Kollmeyer
MADRID (MarketWatch) -- Europe stocks opened higher with markets awaiting euro zone inflation and the German ZEW survey of investor confidence, along with a decision on interest rates from the Federal Reserve later. The Stoxx 600 was up 0.4% to 257.70, the FTSE 100 rose 0.6% to 5,624.38, the French CAC-40 rose 0.6% to 3,915.55 and the German DAX rose 0.6% to 5,936.04. Shares of Daimler (DAI 45.87, -0.51, -1.10%) rose 1.2% after the Financial Times reported it's in talks with France's Renault (FR:RNO 34.01, +0.44, +1.30%) in talks over the possible acquisition of mutual equity stakes as part of a possible alliance that would go beyond their current negotiations on small cars. Shares of Renault rose 1.5%.
