European stock markets were mixed at this evening's close, with US retail sales figures giving shares an afternoon boost after earlier losses. But financial shares were affected by Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke's comments that world financial markets were 'far from normal' despite improvements.
London's FTSE shed nine points to finish at 6,212, hit by a jump in the UK annual inflation rate to 3%. Financial stocks were also weak, with Alliance & Leicester losing 10% to 450p after announcing a £192m hit from risky investments. In Paris the CAC rose 0.5% to 4,999 while in Frankfurt the Dax added 0.3% to 7,060.
Dublin's ISEQ fared worse, however, dropping 114 points to 6,375. AIB dropped 52 cent to €13.42 and Bank of Ireland lost 40 to €8.80. Food group Kerry jumped 54 to €19.94 as shareholders were told of solid underlying sales growth so far this year, though currency movements were having an effect. Other food stocks were weak, with IAWS down 62 to €16.08.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones was 68 points lower at 12,808, while the Nasdaq was down seven at 2,481. Earlier, Tokyo's Nikkei index closed 210 points higher at 13,954 - up 1.5% - as Asian banks were bolstered by signals that the worst of the credit crisis may now be over.
