Europe: Markets cautiously higher
Europe's main markets were slightly higher midday, led by aerospace and defence group EADS which reported better than expected first quarter earnings.
EADS saw net income rise to €285m compared with a loss of €10m last year and confirmed its forecasts for the year.
Infineon advanced after the Financial Times Deutschland said the German chip maker is considering a merger with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts' NXP Semiconductors.
BNP Paribas was on the rise after the French bank's first quarter earnings topped forecasts. Net profit fell by 21% in the three months ended March to €1.98bn, while revenue was 10% lower at €7.40bn.
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Dutch bank and insurance group ING saw first-quarter net profit drop by 19% to €1.54bn.
Shares in Ascom Holding rallied on news that the mobile display systems manufacturer has agreed to sell its Swiss traffic business to Germany's Annax Group.
The German Dax fell 14 points to 7,046, the French CAC is up 16 points to 5,015, while the Swiss market gained 34 points to 7,612.
In economic news, euro zone industrial output fell 0.2% in March from February and increased 2.0% from last year, according to EU statistics office Eurostat.
