Frankfurt DAX: 2560.26 (-2.50)

Shares were rangebound in bourse trade yesterday, with the highlight of the day a shifting of interest from the chemical sector into utility stocks. The big three chemical groups took the biggest battering, while utility shares benefited from interest partly generated by Viag AG's forthcoming six monthly earnings report.

Paris CAC-40: 2019.26 (+33.05)

French shares closed over 1 per cent higher, outshining most other European centres, as fresh hopes of interest rate cuts allowed the market to claw back some of its recent chronic underperformance. Dealers said the market pounced on a slowdown in German money supply growth in July as a further sign the Bundesbank might ease its key 3.3 per cent repo rate.

Milan Mibtel: 9593 (+48)

Italian shares rebounded from Monday's losses yesterday in a largely technical reaction, but also helped by official data showing that inflationary pressures were less than analysts had anticipated during June.