European shares rise amid Trump’s China statements

News Snapshot:

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Photograph: Getty European shares made cautious gains after US president Donald Trump said on Friday that China had violated an agreement on tariffs and issued a new threat to get tougher with Beijing. Europe’s defensive sectors, such as utilities and healthcare, outperformed the big performers amid the tension between the world’s two biggest economies. DUBLIN The Iseq All-Share index ended the session at 11,411.72, dropping 63.45 or 0.55 per cent. The index opened on a high, but a late surge was unable to counteract steady losses throughout the day....