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London - European stock markets rose on Tuesday on upbeat company results, takeover speculation and as Wall Street pushed to a record high level, dealers said.
London's benchmark FTSE 100 index added 0.08% to 6 857 points, while Frankfurt's DAX 30 advanced 0.55% to 9 755.35 points despite news of falling investor sentiment in Germany.
In Paris the CAC 40 gained 0.30% compared to Monday's closing value to 4 507.05, with Airbus Group flying high on news of rocketing quarterly profits.
Investors
"The FTSE 100 is ... higher, emboldened by the US markets once again setting new highs," said Alastair McCaig at trading firm IG.
Wall Street continued a strong streak at the opening, with the Standard and Poor's 500 index edging above 1 900 points for the first time ever.
All three main European indices had also climbed on Monday as investors shrugged off concerns about the Ukraine-Russia crisis following disputed referendums last weekend.
"Investors continue to look beyond the ongoing crisis in eastern Ukraine and instead focus on the improving economic data and reports of more merger and acquisition activity," added Alpari analyst Craig Erlam.
Markets digested reports that US telecoms giant AT&T was prepared to acquire satellite TV provider DirecTV in a deal that values it at nearly $50bn.
Talks are at an advanced stage and a deal could be announced in two weeks or even earlier, the Wall Street Journal said on Tuesday, quoting people close to the deal.
Dipped
Wall Street opened mostly higher on Tuesday after having surged Monday to all-time highs as dealers raced back into technology shares after a recent sell-off that saw household names like Twitter and Netflix tumble.
Shares in French media company Lagardere dropped 2% however to 24.31 euros after it reported falling sales in the first quarter of this year.
In foreign exchange on Tuesday, the euro dropped to $1.3719 from $1.3758 late in New York on Monday.
The dollar drifted up to 102.19 yen from 102.19.
The British pound rose to 1.2280 euros from 1.2262, but dipped to $1.6848 from $1.6866.
The price of gold reversed to $1 292.75 an ounce on the London Bullion Market from $1 298.75 on Monday.
