London--Europe's main stock markets faltered on Wednesday as investors nervously eyed Greece's ongoing efforts to renegotiate its vast international bailout deal.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras visited Brussels and Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis headed to Frankfurt, as part of their whistle-stop tour to drum up support for Athens' planned renegotiation of its 240-billion-euro ($270-billion) bailout.
Investors meanwhile shrugged off news of the Chinese central bank's latest bid to boost its faltering economy by cutting the level of funds that banks must hold in reserve by 0.50 percentage points, .
In midday deals, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index dipped 0.52 percent to 6,836.30 points, Frankfurt's DAX 30 index shed 0.11 percent to 10,879 points and in Paris the CAC 40 reversed 0.18 percent to 4,669.50 compared with Tuesday's close.
The euro declined to $1.1460 from $1.1479 late in New York on Tuesday.
Tsipras will later meet European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, while Varoufakis held talks with European Central Bank president Mario Draghi in Frankfurt.
"The more prolonged this Greek-euro tour is, and the longer the discussions go on, the worse the markets will react as investors lose patience waiting for the outcome of this important debate," said analyst Connor Campbell at trading firm Spreadex.
European stocks rallied Tuesday, recording a second day of gains on hopes of a deal being struck on Greece's debt, with rebounding oil prices helping energy firms.
The gains continued in Asia, where equities jumped Wednesday as hopes grow that Greece will be able to hammer out a debt agreement with its European partners.
Tsipras indicated Wednesday he believed it was possible to find a solution to the debt standoff between Athens and the EU.
"I am very optimist(ic) that we will try to do our best in order to find a common, viable and mutually acceptable solution for our common future," he said.
- Fruitful talks -
Varoufakis meanwhile said that he had held a "very fruitful discussion and exchange" with Draghi, adding that there was an "excellent line of communication, which gives me a great deal of encouragement for the future".
In the run-up to the meetings, a report in the Financial Times had suggested that Draghi would take a tough line with Varoufakis and could even block a key element in Athens' plans to renegotiate its bailout.
"Investors are continuing to put their faith in the prospective plan put forward by Greek finance minister Varoufakis of a debt swap linked to growth linked bonds," said CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson.
"It remains far from clear that EU policymakers will embrace this plan."
Back in Athens, the new Greek government held its first bond auction since taking office, raising 812.5 million euros in six-month treasury bills on a higher rate than last month.
The rate was 2.75 percent, compared with 2.30 percent secured on comparable bonds issued on January 7.
The sale, which was watched closely as an indication of investor confidence in the new government, attracted less interest than previously.
On the corporate front, European pay-TV broadcasting giant Sky saw its share price jump to the top of London's FTSE 100 risers board after posting soaring half-year profits.
Sky's share price rallied 2.60 percent to 967.50 pence.
The biggest loser was brokerage Hargreaves Lansdown, whose share price slid 5.17 percent to 990.50 pence on falling interim earnings.
AFP
