European Stocks Are Little Changed; Xstrata Shares Jump on Glencore Talks

European (SXXP) stocks were little changed as Glencore International Plc’s talks to buy Xstrata Plc (XTA) boosted mining companies, offsetting declines at Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) and Unilever.

U.S. index futures were little changed, while Asian shares rose.

Xstrata jumped 10 percent after confirming that Glencore made an approach about an offer for the coal, copper and nickel miner.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc and BP Plc (BP/), Europe’s two biggest oil companies, fell more than 1 percent.

Unilever dropped 4 percent as the world’s second-largest consumer-goods maker posted revenue growth that missed analysts’ estimates.

Greek Debt Wrangle May Pull Default Trigger

Opposition to payouts on Greek credit-default swaps from European Union policy makers is softening as disputes over a voluntary debt exchange threaten to push the nation into default.

Any agreement between the Greek government and the Washington-based Institute of International Finance on debt write downs will only bind 50 percent of investors in the 206 billion euros ($270 billion) of notes being negotiated, Barclay’s Capital estimates.

Hedge funds may resist a deal, seeking to get paid in full or compensated from insurance contracts.

EU’s Ratings Affirmed by S&P; Outlook Negative

The European Union had its long- and short-term issuer credit ratings of AAA/A-1+ affirmed by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a week after the company cut the AAA ratings of France and Austria.

The outlook is negative because of “ongoing risks” for the Eurozone, S&P said. The long-term rating was removed from Credit Watch negative, where it was placed on Dec. 7.

The European Union’s revenues contributed by AAA-rated member states dropped to 33 percent of 2011 budgeted revenues from 49 percent before the Jan. 13 downgrade.