DAX: 2595.96 (+25.64)

German shares closed around new record highs yesterday, driven higher by the reaction of US financial markets to a new raft of economic data which was seen as further easing fears of US interest rate increases.

CAC-40 2080.37 (+15)

The Paris Bourse got back into winning form yesterday after the release of the US statistics. Volume was a substantial 5.2 billion francs, including Ffr4.9 billion on the monthly settlement market.

Mibtel :9624 (+186)

Italian shares ended just off the day's highs yesterday, having finally opened after a four-hour delay due to a technical fault. Stocks, which had languished in recent sessions, gained sharply on widespread short-covering.