LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European stock markets recovered from early losses to trade slightly higher Monday, with the Stoxx Europe 600 index rising 0.3% to 282.74. Among the strongest performers, shares in Bulgari SpA jumped 58% after LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA agreed to buy the Italian luxury-goods group. In London, shares in Intertek PLC rose 4.5% after reporting better-than-expected results. Among the main indexes, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 rose 0.4% to 6,014.82, the French CAC 40 was broadly flat at 4,020.68 and the German DAX 30 index rose 0.2% to 7,191.34.
Libya continues to verge on civil war, with opponents and backers of Col. Moammar Gadhafi each claiming control of a major oil port, Ras Lanouf, and sustained automatic-weapons fire reported Sunday in the capital, Tripoli.
French luxury-goods giant LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA will take a controlling stake in Italian watch and jewelry maker Bulgari SpA in a share swap deal.
Indian stocks fall as another rise in crude-oil prices fuels concerns over inflation and pressures rate sensitive sectors, while the coalition government gets shaken after losing a key ally.
February may be the second-least important month of the year for retailers, but indications are that the monthly sales report for that period could be a blowout.