October 31, 2007	Wednesday	Shawwal 18, 1428

LONDON, Oct 30: Europe’s main stock markets fell Tuesday on profit-taking amid caution on the eve of an interest-rate call by the US Federal Reserve, dealers said.

We’re in no man’s land for the next 48 hours, said Howard Wheeldon, a strategist at BCG Partners.

London’s FTSE 100 index of top shares dropped 0.74 per cent to 6,656.60 points nearing the half-way stage, Frankfurt’s DAX 30 shed 0.44 per cent to 7,974.50 and in Paris the CAC 40 lost 0.55 per cent to 5,804.19 points.

The DJ Euro Stoxx 50 index of top eurozone shares declined 0.31 per cent to 4,457.55.

The European single currency stood at $1.4406 after striking a record high of $1.4438 on Monday.

Wall Street rose 0.46 per cent Monday as investors banked on the Federal Reserve cutting US rates to grease the economy and shrugged off record high oil prices that could fuel inflation.

They plan to create a joint venture to establish the new market by the end of 2008 in Tokyo, according to a statement.

In London on Tuesday, miners fell strongly after sharp gains Monday. Anglo American shed 2.39 per cent to 3,272 pence and BHP Billiton lost 2.19 per cent to 1,827 pence.

Investors also reacted to European earnings news. British group Imperial Tobacco dropped 1.02 per cent to 2,418 pence after posting full-year results in-line with analyst consensus forecasts.—AFP