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Danish shares

ended week

1.03 point high

or

Danish shares

end week up

COPENHAGEN: Danish shares ended the week 1.03 points higher than they started it and within sight of the year's high of 113.60.

The KFX top-20 index closed 0.15 point up on Thursday's finish, at 113.14, in overall bourse turnover of 961 million crowns.

Its June future rose 0.10 point to 113.00 with 50 contracts, each worth 100,000 crowns, traded.

A dealer said sentiment was positive, but Monday was likely to be quieter than usual, with attention focussed on U.S. shares and the home bond market.

As expected, Thursday's interest rate cuts benefitted the major banks, with both Den Danske Bank and Unibank rising two crowns, to 386 crowns and 273 respectively.

Sophus Berendsen ended 12 crowns down at 693 crowns, due to investors taking profits after a week of record highs, dealers said. The share may also have been affected by British company BET's announcement that its biggest shareholder supported its fight to stave off a hostile bid by Sophus-owned Rentokil.

Cleaning group ISS rose three crowns to 176 crowns after bullish statements on its European growth plans.-Reuter