Around the World's Markets: FRANKFURT

GERMANY'S DAX share index rose almost 1 per cent, lead by 7 per cent gains in the telecoms and engineering group Mannesmann after it announced plans to divide into two separate companies.

Mannesmann shares surged 7.71 per cent to 51.80 euros after the Duesseldorf- based firm said it would split its engineering, automotive and telecoms operations into separate companies and list the new firms in 2001.