European stock markets closed lower today on surging crude oil prices and comments by the chairman of the US Federal Reserve.
The markets were nervy in late trading after Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke told US lawmakers that the outlook for the depressed housing market was "uncertain."
Bernanke said the housing downturn did not appear to have spread into the wider economy yet, but his remarks hung heavy amid investor's concern about prospects for US growth.
London's FTSE 100 index was off 0.40% at 6,267 and in Frankfurt, the DAX gave up 0.60% to 6,816 points and in Paris the CAC 40 dropped 0.62% to 5,552.
As Europe closed, on Wall Street, the Dow Jones had slipped by 0.86% to 12,290 points, while the Nasdaq was off 0.74% at 2,419.
Rising high on oil prices which hovered at around $65, Anglo-Dutch energy giant Royal Dutch Shell gained 0.83% to 1,694 pence and rival BP soared 1.56% to 552 pence in London. French peer Total added 0.89% to €51.91in Paris.
In Dublin, the ISEQ closed 109 at 9,269 with the banks lower.
Earlier, In Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei-225 index of leading shares closed down 0.64% at 17,254 points, extending losses for a second straight session.
