Markets were mixed to weaker, depressed by Wall Street's early losses, although this was in part offset by a more stable dollar.

Frankfurt

German shares were mixed as the key car and financial sectors continued to make investors jittery, traders said.

The leading Dax finished 3 points lower at 4451.

"There seems to be a little more buying interest at this stage," said a London-based analyst at a large German bank.

The chemical sector led gains on a technical recovery after a week of underperforming the market, dealers said.

Thyssen benefited from good sales forecasts in the lead-up to its merger next March 31.

Traders said investors were still rattled by Daimler Chairman Juergen Schrempp's warning yesterday of a possible, and perhaps imminent, recession in the car industry.

Financial shares were still jittery after Thursday's downgrade of Commerzbank by Credit Suisse First Boston.

Paris

French shares remained in the doldrums during the whole of Friday's session, with liquidation day adding to a poor performance.

The Cac 40 closed 27 points lower at 3393.

On liquidation day, traders settle all the orders they have placed in the previous four weeks.

Facing an already steep bill, they are usually not inclined to buy more shares.

Among blue-chip shares, retailer Pinault-Printemps-Redoute slipped.

Traders said attributed this to news that Bernard Arnault, chairman of luxury goods and spirits group LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, and Belgian Financier Albert Frere won the bidding for the famed Bordeaux vineyard Chateau Cheval Blanc.

Francois Pinault, chairman of the holding company that owns Pinault-Printemps-Redoute, was said to have been competing with Arnault and Frere for the vineyard.