MW: European stocks rise, led by Shell, Sanofi-Aventis
By MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European stocks opened higher on Thursday, as invetors digested a barrage of earnings reports from some of the continent's biggest firms. The Stoxx Europe 600 index (ST:SXXP 264.93, -1.99, -0.75%) gained 0.5% to 266.11 and France's CAC 40 index (FR:PX1 3,816, -36.89, -0.96%) rose 0.7% to 3,844.11. Germany's DAX 30 index gained 0.5% to 6,601.61. In London, the FTSE 100 index (UK:UKX 5,646, -61.28, -1.07%) rose 0.8%, as shares of Royal Dutch Shell (UK:RDSA 1,977, 0.00, 0.00%) gained 1.4% after the oil giant reported increases in quarterly profit and production. Shares of Sanofi-Aventis SA (SNY 34.38, -0.16, -0.46%) (FR:SAN 49.53, 0.00, 0.00%) rose 1.7% in Paris, as the drug giant reported a rise in quarterly profit.
