Sliding oil prices help lift stocks

European shares broke a three day losing streak as oil prices slipped and the dollar rose in value. The financial sector was boosted by Societe Generale producing better-than-expected earnings and Barclays selling its life assurance portfolio.

Carlsberg soared 16% after the Danish brewer posted a larger-than-expected sixty eight per cent rise in second-quarter operating profit on strong Asian and eastern European growth.

The price drop for crude helped airlines and car makers and pulled down oil firms. Miners fell as gold, platinum and base metal prices declined.

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