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LONDON, Oct 29 (AFP): European stock markets fell Friday, with news from French carmaker Peugeot and US giant General Motors driving shares lower, and after an overnight retreat on Wall Street, dealers said.
London's FTSE 100 index gave up a marginal 0.01 per cent to 5,182.20 points in early afternoon trade, the Frankfurt DAX 30 shed 0.21 per cent to 4,795.92 points and in Paris the CAC 40 lost 0.63 per cent to 4,309.27.
The DJ Euro Stoxx 50 index of leading eurozone shares slid 0.35 per cent to 3,229.83 points.
The euro stood at 1.2146 dollars.
US shares had tumbled Thursday as the market fretted over the implications of an ailing GM and speculation about a possible indictment of key officials in the administration of US President George W. Bush, dealers said.
News of a probe into GM accounting raised fresh concerns about its prospects and even sparked renewed talk about bankruptcy, although the company brushed aside the speculation.
In European trading Friday, auto stocks were also hit by a profit warning from Peugeot the previous day.
Peugeot had said that intense competitive pressures in its core European markets had forced the group to cut its 2005 operating margin forecasts to "around 4.0 per cent" from a previous target of 4-4.5 per cent.
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