Business news for Mon, 24 Dec 2007 & with words eve+shares. 5 news.

European shares edged higher in a shortened session on Christmas Eve.

Britain's top share index has risen in a shortened Christmas Eve trading session as banks regained ground and as generally firmer raw materials prices lifted commodity shares.

European equity markets moved higher in thin Christmas Eve trading. Leading indices added to Friday's gains, but there was little in the way of dealing, with volumes expected to remain thin as sessions were truncated

AFP - Europe's main stock markets drifted upwards on Monday, with Frankfurt shut for the Christmas holidays, while London and Paris were set for an early lunchtime finish.

Asian stocks started the week on an upbeat note with Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 tilting higher in a shortened pre-Christmas session as investors bought resource shares after metals prices firmed Friday. In South Korean shares also were higher, led by gains for Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering.