French stocks ended a thin, post-holiday trading session yesterday fractionally lower. The blue-chip CAC-40 index closed down 2.81 points, or 0.1 percent, at 2,871.27. Turnover was an extremely light 1.86 billion francs.

"On days like today we should really close at noon in Paris," said one trader. Most European markets were shut.

Shares in pay television company Canal Plus jumped 4.21 per cent to 1,115 francs in volume of 81,173 shares.

Volume totalled 448,209 shares, including a block trade of 200,000 shares at 500 francs apiece.

The Frankfurt and Milan markets were closed yesterday.