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Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

Europe open: Shares shrug off Wall St to post gains; Sartorius slumps

(Sharecast News) - European shares continued to rally on Thursday as investors shrugged off another weak session in the US overnight. The pan-regional Stoxx 600 index was up 0.25% at 499.78 with all major bourses higher. Asian shares were also in upbeat mood, helping fuel sentiment.

Oil prices were below $87 as the prospects of fewer US interest rate cuts and signs that China's economy was still struggling offset worries around supply amid Middle East tensions between Israel and Iran.

In equity news, Swiss engineering firm ABB surged after reporting flat revenue for the period of $7.87bn, and an 11% rise in operating profit to $1.41bn, ahead of expectations.

Finland's Nokia slipped after missing market expectations for operating profit as net sales fell 19%.

Sartorius Stedim Biotech slumped by 16% after the German firm released first-quarter results.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com

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Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

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