Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Europe's largest oil company, may be active as crude headed for its third yearly gain. Bank shares, the worst performers in the benchmark index this year, and health-care stocks, the biggest gainers, may also be active on the last day of trading in 2011.
Futures on the Euro Stoxx 50 Index, a benchmark for the euro region, climbed 1 percent to 2,300 at 7:02 a.m. in London. Contracts on the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index advanced 0.7 percent. S&P 500 futures added 0.1 percent today, while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.4 percent.
Post-Christmas trading has been low, with average daily volume in the Stoxx 600 this week dipping to 33 percent of this year's average, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Exchanges in London, Ireland and Germany close early today for the New Year's holiday.
“There's little expectation of anything significant happening today,” Jonathan Sudaria, a trader at London Capital Group, wrote in e-mailed comments. “As traders say goodbye and probably good riddance to 2011, traders may not be so welcoming to 2012 either. The one bright spark to 2011 has been the resilience of the U.S. given the weak global economic backdrop.”
The benchmark Stoxx 600 has retreated 12 percent this year, the first annual decline since 2008's 46 percent plunge, as the euro region's sovereign-debt crisis spread from Greece to Italy and Spain.
Biggest Drop
Banks had the biggest drop among 19 industry groups, sliding 33 percent, amid growing concern that the euro-area fiscal crisis will force at least one nation to default on its debt. Health-care and food stocks advanced as investors sought companies whose earnings are less tied to economic growth.
The decline in European equities compares with an 18 percent tumble in the MSCI Asia Pacific Index and a 0.4 percent gain in the S&P 500.
The Stoxx 600 has rallied 13 percent from this year's low on Sept. 22 amid better-than-estimated U.S. economic data and optimism that policy makers will contain the debt crisis.
Breakup Ruled Out
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble ruled out a euro-area breakup and said the region is doing everything to maintain confidence in the euro, according to an interview with Germany's Handelsblatt.
Energy companies including Shell, BP Plc and Total SA may be active. Oil rose for a second day, heading for a third yearly increase, on speculation escalating tension in the Middle East may disrupt supplies as a recovery in the U.S. economy bolsters demand.
Deutsche Telekom AG may move. Europe's biggest phone company and its Magyar Telekom unit in Budapest will pay $95 million to settle U.S. Justice Department's allegations they violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Fomento de Construcciones & Contratas SA might be active. The Spanish construction company sold real estate including the Picasso Tower in Madrid for 460 million euros ($595 million) as part of its plan to improve its finances. For the latest updates on the stock market, visit Stock Market Today For the latest updates PRESS CTR + D or visit Stock Market news Today
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