DAX: 2909.91 (+43.84)

Shares soared to an all time high in official trading in Frankfurt, but profit taking in after hours trading brought the IBIS DAX index back to 2890.78, 25points off the 2916 all time high of earlier in the day.

Dealers said the market's direction would be dictated largely by the overnight performance of Wall Street and the strength of the dollar.

CAC-40: 2292.50 (-16.15)

French shares closed sharply lower after the market reversed earlier gains and tracked a correction on the bond market.

Dealers said the market was due for a pause after the recent strong rise that brought the CAC-40 close to its February 1994 all time high of 2360.98. Part of the late weakness resulted from disappointment at the absence of any interest rate cuts by the Bank of France and the Bundesbank.

Mibtel: 10537 (+59)

Italian shares ended marginally firmer after a lacklustre session with little interest shown by investors after the publication of the November inflation figures.