European markets found little by way of trading interest yesterday and finished around their previous closing levels as brokers looked forward to a four-day Easter weekend.

In Paris, the CAC-40 index firmed 11.18 points, or 0.21 per cent, to close at 5,372.1. Frankfurt's DAX index was at 6,002.30 up 0.86 per cent. The Euro Stoxx index of shares in the 12-nation euro zone rose 0.20 per cent to 4,338.07 in late trade.

In Paris, shares closed higher in light pre-Easter trade, with the market boosted by encouraging first-quarter results from consumer electronics group Thomson Multimedia and retailer Carrefour.

Thomson Multimedia was the session's biggest gainer, soaring €4.11, or 10.65 per cent, at €42.70 after the firm posted first-quarter sales up 14.1 per cent to €2.197 billion and maintained growth forecasts for first-half operating income of more than 40 per cent.

Carrefour ended the day up €1.30, after investors viewed a 9.6 per cent rise in its first-quarter sales to €18.463 billion as proof the group was tackling recent sluggish performance, dealers said.

Danone, which saw angry employees protest outside its Paris headquarters against job cuts, closed up €4.60, at €141.60 euros.

In Frankfurt, Adidas was the top performer, up €2.65 euros, or 4.34 per cent, at €63.75. Daimler-Chrysler was the weakest performer, down €2.83 euros, or 5.12 per cent, at €52.42, as the stock went ex-dividend and on the news that its US division was recalling 701,000 Dodge Ram pickup trucks.

Elsewhere, Madrid's IBEX-35 rose 0.36 per cent to 9,648.8 points, Zurich's Swiss Market Index climbed 0.15 per cent to 7,247.0 points and Amsterdam's AEX index eased 0.20 per cent to 575.32 points.

But Brussels' Bel-20 fell 1.61 per cent to 2,844.47 points and Milan's Mib 30 rose 0.51 per cent to 39,808 points.