Major stock indices in Europe trading mixed in very low activity

European stocks mostly rise, getting support from the corporate news and a rise in price of shares of exporters in response to the weakening of the euro against the US dollar.

The dollar strengthened on recent statements by Fed Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer that the central bank is still considering the possibility of a rate hike in 2016. He also noted that the US economy is already close to objectives and will continue to gain momentum. "I look forward to at the accelerating growth of GDP in the coming quarters on the background of recovery in investment after unexpectedly weak performance, as well as reducing the effect of the strengthening of the dollar which occurred earlier," - said Fisher, but did not give precise forecasts on rates. Later this week, the focus will be the speech of the Fed's Janet Yellen at Jackson Hole. In her statement may signal whether the economy is strong enough and could afford a rate hike in September or in the coming months. According to the futures market, the probability of a Fed rate hike is 12% in September and in December is estimated at 39.1%.

The composite index of Europe's largest enterprises, Stoxx 600 added 0.4 percent. Recall, at the end of last week, the index recorded the biggest drop since the beginning of June. The trading volume today is 37 percent lower than the average for the last 30 days. Strategists expect the index to bring its annual decline to 8.6 percent. Meanwhile, the report of Bank of America Corp. showed that investors continued to withdraw money from funds in the region, extending this series to 28 consecutive weeks.

Bank shares rebounded after the bigest fall in two weeks, while the shares of exporters, including automakers, rose against the euro weakness. Shares of mining companies shows a negative trend, due to the fall in commodity prices due to the strengthening of the dollar.

Shares of Syngenta AG - a Swiss chemical company - jumped 11 percent, the largest increase in more than a year. Today, China National Chemical Corp reported that the US National Security officials approved the merger with Syngenta AG.

The cost of Teleperformance SA rose 6.5 percent after the call-center operator agreed to buy LanguageLine Solutions LLC for $ 1.5 billion to expand in the US market.

Quotes of Kingspan Group Plc climbed 6.2 percent, as the Irish manufacturer of building insulation panels reported a 19 percent increase in revenues in the first half of the year.

At the moment:

FTSE 100 6827.27 -31.68 -0.46%

DAX +3.11 10547.47 + 0.03%

CAC 40 +2.45 4402.97 + 0.06%