Most European stock markets closed sharply lower this evening at the end of a tough week for the markets as investors waited for news on a Greek bailout deal. London's FTSE index closed down 65 points (1.1%) at 5,553, while the Paris market slid 24 points (0.6%) to 3,817 and the Frankfurt DAX edged down nine points (0.15%) to close at 6,136.
But Dublin's ISEQ index managed to hang on to its earlier gains and closed 25 points (0.7%) higher at 3,397 ahead of the bank holiday weekend. Shares in index heavyweights were stronger with shares in CRH up 2.5% to €21.43 and DCC gaining 1.7% to close at €20.10. Shares in C&C closed 4.6% higher at €3.60 as the group said it had agreed a deal to sell its spirits and liqueurs business to Scottish-owned distillery William Grant.
US stock markets were down this evening as investors worried about the fallout from fraud charges against Goldman Sachs and an oil spill that has reached land in Louisiana. The Dow Jones fell by 67 points (0.6%) to stand at 11,100 while the Nasdaq slumped 20 points (0.8%) to 2,492.
Earlier, Tokyo's Nikkei index closed 133 points (1.2%) higher at 11,057 while the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong finished 330 points (1.6%) higher at 21,109 with sentiment boosted by hopes that a bailout for debt-laden Greece is in sight.
