London--European equity markets rose Wednesday before a G7 finance meeting that will focus on Greece's debt drama, while airlines group IAG neared its takeover of Irish rival Aer Lingus.
Finance ministers and central bank governors of the Group of Seven (G7) wealthiest nations are meeting in Dresden to discuss the global economy and financial regulation, with Athens on the agenda amid stubborn fears of a Greek eurozone exit.
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has invited his counterparts and their central bank chiefs from Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and the United States, for the gathering which kicks off later on Wednesday.
In mid-afternoon deals, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index of top companies rose 0.62 percent to 6,992.26 points, as investors also tracked the state opening of parliament and the legislative programme for Prime Minister David Cameron's newly-elected British government.
In Paris, the CAC 40 index added 0.70 percent to 5,119.25 points and Frankfurt's DAX 30 won 0.06 percent to 11,631.79 compared with Tuesday's closing level.
The European single currency lost early gains to slide to a new one-month low of $1.0819, compared to $1.0879 late in New York on Tuesday.
AFP
