MW: European markets hold in tight range, BP drops
By Simon Kennedy
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European stock markets held in a tight range in early trading as rising metal prices helped lift mining stocks, while a disappointing results announcement weighed on oil giant BP PLC UK:BP -2.22% BP +1.23% . Shares in BP dropped 2.6% after its profit missed market forecasts, while most other commodities stocks rose, including a 1.6% gain for Xstrata PLC UK:XTA +0.66% . The Stoxx Europe 600 index XX:SXXP -0.60% slipped 0.2% to 270.88, the U.K. FTSE 100 index was steady at 5,923.11, the French CAC 40 index FR:PX1 -0.71% rose 0.2% to 3,821.34 and the German DAX 30 index DX:DAX -0.22% gained 0.2% at 7,357.60.
