An agreement from the EU and the IMF to lend Ireland cash to, tackle its banking and budget crisis gave investors a reason to buy back some assets sold off earlier this month.
But investors stayed cautious and gains were moderate, in part because they did not want to risk year-to-date profits, with Europe still saddled with fiscal trouble spots such as Portugal and Spain.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares opened up over half a percent.
"There are still a lot of issues in Europe," said Alex Boggis, who heads fund manager Aberdeen's business in Hong Kong. Aberdeen manages around $15 billion in Hong Kong and China.









