LONDON (ShareCast) - European stocks are off the bottom, but the Stoxx Europe 600 is still below the four-month high it hit yesterday, with mining companies especially weak.

An official at Vale, the iron ore mining giant, suggested that China's "golden years" as the engine of global growth are behind it.

Meanwhile, comments from European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn have put the issue of a Spanish bailout back in the spotlight.

Speaking on Bloomberg Television Rehn signalled that Spain's government is considering a request for a sovereign bailout although no decision has been made.

"The Spanish government has an open mind on this issue, but no decision has been made," Rehn said. "We stand ready to act if there is a request."

On the companies front, Dutch phone company Royal KPN has yanked the proposed sale of its Belgian mobile-phone unit, Base, as it has not attracted the level of bids it hoped for.

Nokia, which was one of the big fallers in Europe yesterday as new market research data suggested it continues to bleed market share in the mobile phone market, has bounced back today after its Chief Executive Officer, former Microsoft man Stephen Elop, told the Reuters news agency that the Finnish handset maker will stick to using Microsoft operating system for phones.

Danish brewer Carlsberg has released what are probably not the best results in the world, covering the second quarter. Earnings before interest and tax declined to DKr.3.47bn, versus expectations in the market of DKr.3.9bn. Revenue was up 4.5% to DKr.19.6bn, however. With currency effects stripped out, the top line rose 2%.

Carlsberg stuck by its full year earnings guidance, banking on a better rouble exchange rate - Russia is a key market for the brewer - offsetting the effects of a soggy summer.

Swiss cement maker Holcim proved that its management structure is not set in concrete as it announced an overhaul that will see three managers exit the firm's executive committee.

The firm returned to the black with a quarterly profit of CHF.379m, versus market expectations of CHF.353m. Sales edged up 2% to CHF.5.6bn, slightly less the CHF.5.7bn the market had been expecting.

DAX risers
E.ON € 18.05 +1.26%
Commerzbank € 1.19 +0.93%
K+S € 40.14 +0.91%

DAX Fallers
ThyssenKrupp € 15.84 -1.86%
Munich Re € 118.90 -1.33%
Allianz € 86.14 -1.06%

CAC 40 - Risers
Veolia Environnement (VIE) € 8.37 +1.49%
Credit Agricole (ACA) € 3.98 +1.04%
Legrand SA (LR) € 26.95 +0.58%
Unibail-Rodamco (UL) € 163.00 +0.56%
GDF Suez (GSZ) € 19.69 +0.51%
Societe Generale (GLE) € 20.34 +0.42%
Danone (BN) € 49.10 +0.39%
Accor (AC) € 27.26 +0.35%
Alcatel-Lucent (ALU) € 0.94 +0.32%
Sanofi (SAN) € 68.07 +0.29%

CAC 40 - Fallers
ArcelorMittal SA (MT) € 12.49 -2.27%
Lafarge (LG) € 36.79 -1.68%
Vinci (DG) € 34.69 -1.36%
Bouygues (EN) € 21.83 -1.24%
Alstom (ALO) € 27.80 -1.17%
Saint Gobain (SGO) € 26.10 -1.10%
LVMH (MC) € 132.80 -1.08%
Vallourec (VK) € 36.35 -1.05%
France Telecom (FTE) € 11.29 -0.96%
Carrefour (CA) € 15.77 -0.94%

JH

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