LONDON, April 20: European stock exchanges closed mixed on Thursday with the London FTSE 100 index losing 0.14 per cent to 6,081.4 points, reversing earlier gains as profit taking in heavyweight miners offset positive early trade on Wall Street, dealers said.

In Paris the CAC 40 closed 0.94 per cent higher at 5,206.79 while in Frankfurt the Dax finished 1.16 per cent up at 6,063.28.

The DJ Euro Stoxx 50 index of leading eurozone shares rose 1.10 per cent to 3,860.00 points.

Wall Street shares were mixed in volatile market action as investors digested the strong gains in recent sessions and several upbeat earnings reports led by General Motors and Apple Computer.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average pushed to its best level in 5-1/2 years and then pared its gains. The blue-chip index was up 0.48 per cent at 11,332.72 in early trade after moving as high as 11,384.

The Nasdaq composite fell 0.53 percent to 2,358.41 while the Standard and Poor’s 500 broad-market index managed to gain a fractional 0.01 per cent to 1,310.11.—AFP