European shares closed lower on Wednesday.
Shares of P&O Nedlloyd rallied 12.5% after A.P. Moeller Maersk agreed to buy the company for $3 billion.
In U.K.: Barclays Bank tumbled 1.01% to 537.0. Diageo added 1.08 and closed at 793.0. HSBC advanced 0.47% to 861.0. Vodafone rose 0.36% to 138.50. Unilever declined 0.09% to 540.50. Shell fell 1.37% and closed at 471.0.
In France: Alcatel declined 0.83% to 8.32. BNP Paribas fell 0.38% to 52.0. EADS tumbled 1.30% and closed at 22.07. France Telecom slipped 0.91% to 22.74. Danone was down 0.13% to 74.35. Renault declined 0.66% to 67.50.