Paris  - French shares were down in late Thursday trading in the wake of overnight losses on Wall Street and Asian markets.

By mid-afternoon, the Paris Bourse's CAC 40 index had given up 1.49 per cent, falling to 3,240.07, with losers outpacing gainers by about 5 to 1.

President Nicolas Sarkozy's announcement, earlier Thursday, that the government would establish a fund to support struggling strategic companies appeared to have had little effect on share prices.

Transportation shares were hardest-hit, with transport equipment manufacturer Alstom losing 10.05 per cent, to 34.72 euros.

Paris - The French government will establish an investment fund to support the country's strategic enterprises affected by the economic crisis, President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday in Argonay, near the Alpine resort of Annecy.

The fund will make available loans to struggling companies in exchange for shares, which will be sold, presumably at a profit, once the company has stabilized.

The aim of the fund, Sarkozy said, will be to protect strategic companies "from predators looking to profit from a firm's undervaluation" to take control of it.

Paris- The French government will establish an investment fund to support the country's strategic enterprises affected by the economic crisis, President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday in the city of Annecy.

The fund will make available loans to struggling companies in exchange for shares, which will be sold, presumably at a profit, once the company has stabilized.

Paris - French President Nicolas Sarkozy is going to court to force a French publisher to take off the market a voodoo doll in his image, French media reported on Thursday.

The doll, 20,000 of which went on sale on October 9, comes with a manual and a dozen pins that can be stuck through well-known quotes of his - such as "Work more and earn more," or "Bugger off, you ass" - which are printed on the doll.

Paris - French shares were mixed in early Thursday trading in the wake of overnight losses on Wall Street and Asian markets.

Paris - Nicolas Sarkozy believes he is the only leader capable of steering Europe through the current economic crisis and wants to become president of the euro-zone countries once his term as EU head expires at the end of the year, the daily Le Monde reported on Wednesday.

According to the newspaper, several advisors to the French president have confirmed this strategy.

Sarkozy's ambition is based on his firm conviction that the crisis in Georgia and the financial crisis both demonstrated that Europe was in need of a strong leader.