DAX: 3215,24 (-86.67)

German shares fell slightly in late IBIS trade as the Dow Jones Industrial index opened lower after a heavy fall in late trading on Wednesday.

Earlier, the DAX index of bourse trade ended the day down 2.62 per cent at 3215.24 points, after the index slid on the back of Wednesday's losses in electronic trade. A dealer in Frankfurt said many investors were taking advantage of lower share prices to hunt for bargains.

CAC-40: 2514.52 (-15.76)

French shares fell for the third successive day, pressured by the weakness of the dollar, the continued weakness on Wall Street and lower bond prices. Traders said that the market was cautious ahead of the US jobs report.

Mibtel: 11609 (-37)

Italian shares closed sharply lower, but well off their earlier low points despite the Dow's early move below the 6500 level. The weakness of blue chip stock ENI contributed to the overall market weakness, although trading volumes were not spectacular.