DAX: 4,231.43 (-47.05) The German market was in tense mood ahead of the release of key US economic data and following disappointing interim results from BASF.

Dealers said worry over interest rate hikes continued to pressure the market in postbourse trade, with the IBIS DAX index ending the day at 4,195.53, below a psychologically key 4,200 level and marking a fall of 1.94 per cent on the session.

CAC-40: 2,921.84 (-2.20)

French shares closed flat after a yo-yo session of mixed trading and muted reaction to a series of US data, dealers said. A higher start on Wall Street and the dollar's recovery failed to boost French shares significantly after Wednesday's 2.5 per cent drop.

Mibtel: 14,405 (+0.05)

Italian shares shuffled sideways at the close but with a positive tone ahead of the three-day weekend, although futures dropped at finish. The market is now closed until Monday. "It's a pre-holiday market without a precise direction" one broker said.