European stock markets dropped this afternoon on the last day of 2010, with trading light and several markets closed for a holiday.
Dublin's ISEQ closed up seven points 0.2% at 2,885 in a half-day trading session. But it ended 2010 down 3% for the full year. Among today's gainers, Irish Life & Permanent jumped 7.9% to €1.08, while Kingspan added 4.8% to €7.49. AIB dropped more than 3% to 30 cent, while Aer Lingus fell 2.7% to €1.08.
London's FTSE slipped 1.2% to end at 5,900, though it ended 2010 with a gain of 9.2% for the full year. In Paris, the CAC fell 1.2% to 3,805, giving it a drop of 3.3% for the year. Frankfurt's DAX had closed out the year on Thursday with a loss of 1.2% to 6,914. Over 2010, however, the DAX added 16%.
Earlier in Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng finished up 0.2% at 23,035. Tokyo's Nikkei had ended its year on Thursday with a loss of 1.1% to 10,229, giving it a 3% loss for the whole year. Last night on Wall Street, the Dow Jones dropped 0.1% to end at 11,570.
