LIVE MARKETS-Novo up, UBS down, FTSE near peak

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NOVO UP, UBS DOWN, FTSE NEAR PEAK

European shares were broadly unchanged on Tuesday with gains in healthcare and energy offset by weakness across financials.

Strength in healthcare was mostly driven by a surge in Novo Nordisk NOVOb.CO, which has lost around 20% so far this year. Traders snapped up shares in the Danish firm on a FT report that activist investors Parvus is building a stake, aiming to influence the appointment of the company's new CEO.

Similarly, in financials, UBS UBSG.S was the top drag, as investors worried about the impact on returns of stricter capital rules proposed on Friday by the Swiss government.

The region-wide STOXX 600 .STOXX was last up barely 0.1%, while the FTSE 100 .FTSE in London rose 0.5%, closing in its record high hit in March. German stocks .GDAXI, .MDAXI were a weak spot for once, as profit taking hit high-flying defence names. Rheinmetall RHMG.DE fell 3%.

Here is your opening snapshot:

(Danilo Masoni)

EARLIER ON LIVE MARKETS:

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