The benchmark pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index finished slightly firmer on Tuesday as record profits from Swiss bank UBS boosted demand for financial stocks, Reuters reported. Stronger financials helped counter weakness in oil and utility companies after crude prices fell below $60/barrel. Equity markets were awaiting yet another expected rise in U.S. interest rates from the Federal Reserve, and market commentators doubted there would be any surprises. They also said the lower oil price had gone some way to water down investors' inflation fears. The FTSEurofirst 300 index closed 0.1 percent higher at 1,201.3 points, but Germany's DAX index underperformed on political uncertainty after media reports that a key politician may not join a coalition cabinet. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 outperformed other European markets, adding 0.5 percent to 5,344.3 points as property firms rose after a bullish broker comment.
