US stocks shrugged off their early torpor to register decent gains by the close though tomorrow's non-farm payroll numbers overshadowed much of the trading.
Italian restaurant chain Carluccio's has agreed a bid from C1 Acquisitions, the bid vehicle of Dubai-based Landmark Group.
Bourses rallied a touch near the close as the ECB upped its growth forecast for the eurozone, but trading was anything but vigorous.
US stocks are mixed and it is the smaller and medium sized companies that are making the best gains.