MW:Europe stocks pare gains as ECB leaves rate at 1%
By Sara Sjolin
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European stock markets pared gains in early afternoon trade on Wednesday, after the European Central Bank left its key lending rate unchanged at 1%. The Stoxx Europe 600 index XX:SXXP +1.68% was up 1.7% at 238.46, after trading as high as 238.99 before the rate announcement. The German DAX 30 index DX:DAX +1.51% gained 1.5% to 6,060.42, while the French CAC 40 index FR:PX1 +2.10% moved 1.8% higher to 3,040.64. In the U.K. the FTSE 100 index UK:UKX +1.26% added 1.3% to 5,329.93.
