Frankfurt Dax 3636.42 (-37.94)

Shares peaked and troughed over the course of electronic trade, hitting record highs before tumbling to end more than 1 per cent lower after a jittery session before a German regional holiday. The IBIS DAX index, which measured electronic trade in 30 German blue chips, ended at 3626.60 points.

Paris CAC-40: 2583.17 (-97.17)

French stocks plunged on rum ours of private opinion polls which traders said showed the left well placed for the second round of the parliamentary election on Sunday. The drop was less pronounced than the 3.9 per cent fall on Monday, which was the biggest one day fall in four years, and followed a 0.96 per cent gain on Tuesday. Interest rate futures closed lower and bond futures closed above their lows due to late buying by domestic institutions.

Milan MIBTEL: 12242 (-95)

Italian shares turned tail and gave up early gains to end lower on Wednesday as worries over a left wing victory in Sunday's French election took hold while a lower start on Wall Street did little to bolster confidence.