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European markets close mixed

Europe's main stock markets closed mixed on Friday, at the end of a year in which leading indices have struck their highest levels in almost six years.

On the last day of trading for the year, London's FTSE 100 index of leading shares fell 0.32 percent at 6,220.8 points following a shortened trading day ahead of the New Year.

Frankfurt's DAX 30 index dropped 0.23 percent to end at 6,596.92 points, but in Paris the CAC 40 hit its highest level since May 2001, showing a gain of 0.15 percent to 5,541.76 points after a full day's trading.

The euro stood at US$1.3197.

On Thursday, Frankfurt's DAX 30 index of leading German shares had hit 6,629.33 points -- its highest level since February 2001 -- before fading in afternoon trading, in line with Europe's other main indices.

The past year has seen London's FTSE 100 and the Paris CAC 40 also hit their highest levels since early 2001, lifted by strong company earnings and fervent takeover activity.

The DAX 30 rose 22 percent this year, while the FTSE 100 gained 10.7 percent over the year. The CAC 40 has gained 17.51 percent compared with the start of the year.

In Europe meanwhile, shares in French utility group Suez surged in Paris trade on Friday on press reports that French business heavyweight Francois Pinault could early next month offer 70 billion euros (US$92 billion) for the company.

Suez shares closed up 2.56 percent at 39.23 euros, while GDf shares gained 2.8 percent to 34.85 euros.

The magazine Capital said on its Web site late on Thursday that French President Jacques Chirac had reportedly agreed that Pinault would launch a 70-billion-euro bid for Suez in early next month and would then sell the company's energy unit to Gaz de France.

But a statement from Chirac's office on Friday formally denied the "fanciful rumors", saying the president fully support a planned merger of Suez with state-controlled GDF.

Elsewhere in Europe, in Madrid the Ibex-35 index fell 0.1 percent to 14,146.3 points, in Milan the SP/Mib index added 0.08 percent to 41,434 points, while in Amsterdam the AEX fell 0.37 percent to 495.34 points.

In Belgium, the Bel 20 set a new record, rising 0.49 percent to 4,388.53 points and the Swiss SMI fell 0.2 percent to 8,785.74 points.
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