July 07, 2007	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Sani 21, 1428

LONDON, July 6: Europe's main stock markets climbed higher on Friday as the oil sector was energised by soaring crude prices, dealers said. London's FTSE 100 index of leading shares rose 0.42 per cent to 6,663.20 points, Frankfurt's DAX 30 index added 0.11 percent to 7,996.20 points and in Paris the CAC 40 gained 0.40 per cent to 6,083.58.

The DJ Euro Stoxx 50 index of leading eurozone shares won 0.33 per cent to 4,506.49 points.

The euro stood at 1.3593 dollars.

US stocks ended mixed Thursday as a new wave of corporate activity helped offset a weak bond market and sharp losses in other global markets.

On Friday, the price of Brent North Sea crude oil climbed above$75 for the first time in almost a year, supported by supply concerns in the United States and Nigeria, traders said.

Brent North Sea crude for August delivery struck $75.10 per barrel, a level last reached on August 14, 2006. High oil prices bite into corporate profits and raise investor concerns that increased costs may hamper global economic growth, but traditionally the energy sector is boosted.

In London, Anglo-Dutch energy giant Royal Dutch Shell saw its 'A' shares jump 1.80 per cent to 2,093 pence, while peer BP added 0.99 per cent to 610 pence.

In Paris, shares in French oil and gas group Total leapt 1.54 per cent to 61.16 euros.

The European mining sector also won big gains amid expectations global economic growth will continue to sustain demand for commodities.

Credit Suisse lifted its forecasts for commodity prices by up to 50 per cent, prompting the broker to raise share price targets on London-listed miners Anglo American, Rio Tinto, Xstrata and Kazakhmys.

In Wall Street trading on Thursday, as traders returned from the Independence Day holiday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.08 percent to close at 13,565.84 points.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite however rose 0.44 per cent to 2.656.65 and the Standard and Poor's 500 broad-market index added a fractional 0.03 per cent to 1,525.40.—AFP