17 Feb 05: European Share Prices Higher

European share prices are higher in midday trading Thursday.

London's Financial Times index is up 19 points at 5,072.

The CAC-40 in Paris is up 7 points to 4,016, and the DAX index in Frankfurt is up 4 points at 4,372.

The S&P futures contract is up less than a point. Tokyo's Nikkei index lost 19 points to finish at 11,583.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index dropped 48 points to end at 13,968 The price of gold in London is $426.60, up $2.85 from late Wednesday.

The dollar in London is lower against other major currencies.