Stocks shrug off weak European GDP data PARIS Stock markets shrugged off weak economic data in Europe on Wednesday even as news hit that the 17-country euro currency bloc is now in its longest-ever recession. But after dropping in morning trading, European stocks were up in the afternoon. France's CAC-40 index was up 0.3 percent to 3,979, while the DAX in Germany rose 0.1 percent to 8,350. Meanwhile, Britain's FTSE index of leading shares added 0.1 percent to 6,695, partially on the back of positive earnings. "Stocks have largely recovered from their early malaise to re-test recent highs as strong corporate numbers took center stage," said Toby Morris, a sales trader at CMC Markets UK, citing results from easyJet and the London Stock Exchange. U.S. markets, meanwhile, barely budged in early trading in New York. The Dow Jones industrial average was even at 15,217, while the broader Standard & Poor's index was up 0.1 percent to 1,652. Earlier, Asian stocks focused on an improving U.S. economy.