Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Tuesday.
Serono rallied 8 percent after the Wall Street Journal said the world's third-biggest biotech firm was looking for a buyer. Serono said it had hired US investment bank Goldman Sachs to explore strategic alternatives.
Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhone, Sanef and ASF rose between 0.8 percent and 4.7 percent on hopes of a bidding war after industry sources and company officials said France had received up to 10 offers for the state's stake in the three motorway operators.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index of leading European blue chips ended 0.03 percent higher at 1,226.61 points.