Frankfurt - European shares staunched early big losses Monday amid renewed hopes about interest rate cuts and after some positive US economic data.

As trading on European stock markets drew to a close, Europe's blue-chip Stoxx 50 was down by 2.0 per cent at 2076 points.

However, with Wall Street swinging between positive and negative territory, the Stoxx 50 index pulled back from steep declines run up in the morning session.

Frankfurt  - Protesters invaded the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on Monday, chanting, waving banners and scattering leaflets.

Frankfurt - Rare Volkswagen shares commanded giddying prices Monday on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange after Porsche announced it was within sight of
75-per-cent control of Europe's biggest carmaker.

The stock traded at 356 euros by late morning, up 69 per cent from Friday. At one point it had been up 90 per cent, and Germany's N-TV news television said the gain had bolstered Frankfurt's DAX stock index by 200 points.

Analysts said it was unlikely to be luxury car-maker Porsche's own purchases that were driving the price, although Porsche revealed Sunday it had advanced its stake from 35 to 42.6 per cent of Volkswagen Group. Additionally, it has captured options for an additional 31.5 per cent of Volkswagen.

Frankfurt - Kiprono Cheruiyet claimed a course record as Kenya totally dominated the Frankfurt Marathon on Sunday.

Frankfurt  - European markets faced up to a Black Friday as a wave of panic selling triggered by growing recession fears sent shares and currencies into a dramatic tailspin.

Already under siege as profit worries have grown, shares across Europe spiralled down after the OPEC oil producing nations' cartel cut production raising concerns about increase energy costs as the world economy was engulfed by a sharp slowdown.

With Wall Street slumping by more than 4 per cent shortly after its Friday opening, investors in Europe continued to dump stocks leaving the blue-chip Stoxx 50 down 6.1 per cent at 2090 as European trading came to an end.

Frankfurt - European shares came under pressure Thursday after worries about third-quarter corporate earnings and the economic outlook resulted in a rocky start on Wall Street and a slump in stocks across Asia.

With the economic gloom deepening and concerns setting in about another volatile day on Wall Street, Europe's blue-chip Stoxx 50 fell more than 2 per cent to 2180 points.

As the share trading day drew to an end in Europe, stocks in London were down about 2 per cent after gaining 0.90 per cent in early trading.