* FTSEurofirst 300 up 0.3 percent
* GlaxoSmithKline up on key drug backing
* For up-to-the-minute market news, click on []
By Brian Gorman
LONDON, Nov 17 (Reuters) - European shares edged higher
early on Wednesday, as investors awaited a resolution to
Ireland's debt crisis, and with GlaxoSmithKline up on backing
for a key drug.
At 0946 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 <> index of top
European shares was up 0.3 percent at 1,089.53 points, having
fallen 2.3 percent in the previous session, the biggest one-day
percentage drop since July 1.
The European benchmark is up more than 68 percent from its
lifetime low of March 2009, on strong company earnings, and
stimulus from governments and central banks worldwide.
Euro zone ministers have agreed to send a joint European-IMF
mission to Ireland that could prepare the way for a bailout to
prevent its debt crisis spreading to other countries.
[]
"People are still sitting on healthy profits. I wouldn't be
surprised if some people pull out as they can't see what happens
next," said Justin Urquhart Stewart, director at Seven
Investment Management.
"What Ireland needs to do is to create enough confidence to
get itself off the front page. They have to create stability,
even if they don't do anything yet."
The STOXX 600 Europe Healthcare Index <.SXDP>, up 1 percent,
was among the strongest performers.
GlaxoSmithKline <GSK.L> shares gained 2.3 percent following
backing from a U.S. advisory panel for its lupus drug Benlysta,
which is seen as a potential blockbuster.
Biotech group Actelion <ATLN.VX> rose 7.9 percent after
reports U.S. company Amgen <AMGN.O> is studying an offer for the
Swiss group. []
Roche <ROG.VX> rose 1.7 percent after the Swiss pharma group
sets out plans to slash costs as it grapples with recent product
setbacks and mounting pressure on prices.
Across Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 <> was flat;
Germany's DAX <> and France's CAC40 <> both rose 0.4
percent.
The Thomson Reuters Peripheral Eurozone Countries Index
<.TRXFLDPIPU> was up 0.6 percent.
EXPERIAN GAINS
British credit information group Experian <EXPN.L> rose 3.4
percent after hiking its interim dividend and saying it
continued to look at ways of returning cash to shareholders
after a stronger than expected first half. []
British utility Centrica <CNA.L> fell 2 percent, though the
company said it performed well in the third quarter, driven by
growth at its business energy and UK upstream units. Investors
took profits, with the shares having risen 37 percent in the
past year.
Bank of England policymakers were split three ways for a
second month running in November, with one member wanting more
stimulus, another voting for a rate hike and the majority
freezing policy and ready to act in either direction, the
minutes from the Nov. 3-4 Monetary Policy Committee meetings
showed on Wednesday.
This is likely to reinforce expectations that policy will
remain on hold well into next year until the outlook for the
economy becomes clearer.
The number of Britons claiming unemployment benefit fell
unexpectedly last month and a wider measure of unemployment also
fell in the three months to September, official data showed on
Wednesday. []
(Editing by Hans Peters)
