German shares staged something of a recovery in post bourse trading to make up earlier falls.

Dealers said that trading volumes were thin in floor trade and found it hard to see where new trading impulses would come from.

CAC-40 2121.10 (+11.04)

French stocks reversed early losses to end higher yesterday after a late rally, helped by a revival in US and French bonds and a rebound in the dollar. "Although Wall Street was down, people looked at the bond market and decided things weren't that bad," one dealer said.

Mibtel 10558 (-93)

Italian shares closed lower in largely technical trading, with small lots being traded by market professionals with few fresh orders seen to stimulate volumes, dealers said.