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ANOTHER GREEN DAY

Most major European equity indexes have opened in positive territory on Wednesday, with oil prices a touch softer on hopes that a deal can be reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz despite U.S. strikes on Iran.

The pan-continental STOXX 600 .STOXX is up 0.3% at 630 points, within 1% of its all-time intraday high from before the Iran war in February.

Breadth is positive, with about 70% of stocks in the benchmark rising.

Germany's DAX .GDAXI is up 0.6%, France's CAC 40 is up 0.5%, but Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE is off 0.1%. Italy's FTSE MIB .FTMIB is up 0.2%, just below its all-time record reached on Monday.

Dutch-listed paint maker AkzoNobel AKZO.AS is Europe's top gainer after it rejected a takeover approach from Nippon Paint 4612.T and Sherwin-Williams SHW.N. Shares are up 15%.

The luxury .STXLUXP and autos .SXAP sectors are strong, while utilities .SX6P and energy .SXEP lag.

Here's your opening snapshot:

(Samuel Indyk)

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EARLIER ON LIVE MARKETS:

EUROPE BEFORE THE BELL: RUNNING HOT CLICK HERE

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