LONDON (AFP) – The leading stock exchange fell at opening on Wednesday, after sharp losses the previous day, as traders were gripped by Greece's financial crisis and the EU called a crunch summit.

At the open, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index of top shares shed 0.30 percent to 5,586.55 points.

LONDON (AFP) – Europe's main stock markets traded mixed approaching the half-way mark on Monday after debt-hit Greece was handed a massive rescue package.

In midday trade, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index of top shares was down 0.04 percent to 5,768.72 points. Traders banked profit after initially pushing the index up to a 22-month high point above 5,800 points.

TOKYO (Reuters) – Dai-ichi Life Insurance rose 14 percent on its debut on Thursday after pricing its $11 billion IPO at a discount to rivals, but investors remain wary of its growth prospects outside a mature Japanese market.

The IPO was the world's largest since Visa Inc's $19.7 billion offering two years ago and was seen as a test of investor appetite in Japan, where the value of new listings slumped to their lowest in nearly two decades last year.

LONDON (AFP) – The leading stock exchange rose at the start of trade on Tuesday.

The FTSE 100 gained 0.47 percent to 5,191.63 points.

Japanese stocks closed up 0.21 percent on Tuesday, tracking gains on markets in Europe.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange's benchmark Nikkei-225 index rose 20.95 points to 10,034.25.

TOKYO (AFP) – The Tokyo Stock Exchange, plagued by a series of technical problems, introduced a new faster trading system on Monday, stepping up its efforts to stay ahead of rival Asian bourses.

The TSE's next-generation trading platform, called "arrowhead", can process orders in 0.005 seconds, much faster than the previous technology and on a par with the dealing systems in New York and London.