But the west London airport said it is operating close to capacity and warned this would limit the UK's ability to trade with emerging economies.

BBC: An aeroplane at Heathrow Airport

France and Italy, which has the euro area's biggest debt burden, are also close to the limit.

ECONOMIST: Europe and the financial crisis

It did not take traders and investors long to look past the U.S. debt limit drama that appears to be drawing to a close, at least for a while.

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