LONDON, Dec 29: Europe's main stock markets steadied on Friday, the last trading day of the 2006 — a year in which leading indices have struck the highest points in almost six years.

In early deals Friday, London's FTSE 100 index of leading shares fell 0.22 per cent to 6,227.20 points, in Frankfurt the DAX 30 index edged up 0.02 per cent to 6,613.08 points and in Paris the CAC 40 gained 0.16 per cent to 5,542.17.

The DJ Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone blue chip shares climbed 0.01 per cent to 4,130.97 points.

The euro stood at 1.3170 dollars.

On Thursday, Frankfurt's DAX 30 index of leading German shares had hit 6,629.33 points -- its highest level since February 2001 -- before fading in afternoon trading, in line with Europe's other main indices.

The past year has also seen London's FTSE 100 and the Paris CAC 40 hit the highest levels since early 2001, lifted by strong company earnings and fervent takeover activity.

By Friday, the German market had risen more than 22 per cent in 2006, the CAC 40 by 17.5 per cent, while the FTSE 100 was up nearly 11 per cent.

Wall Street shares had edged lower Thursday, with the Dow blue chip falling short of a new record, as investors consolidated after two days of strong rallies despite strong economic data, dealers said.

In Europe meanwhile, shares in French energy, water and sanitation company Suez surged in Paris trade Friday on press reports that French business heavyweight Francois Pinault could early next month offer 70 billion euros (92 billion dollars) for the company. Suez shares were up 4.52 per cent at 39.95 euros, their best showing since December 2000.

The magazine Capital said on its website late Thursday that French President Jacques Chirac had reportedly agreed that Pinault would launch a 70-billion-euro bid for Suez in early January and would then sell the company's energy unit to Gaz de France.GDF, which is in the process of being privatized ahead of a proposed merger with Suez, saw its share price jump 1.74 per cent to 34.49 euros.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which topped 12,500 for the first time Wednesday to strike a new all-time high, drifted down 0.07 per cent to close at 12,501.52 on Thursday.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite dipped 0.23 per cent to 2,425.57 points and the broad-market Standard and Poor's 500 index shed 0.15 per cent to 1,424.73.

On Friday in Asia, the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Nikkei-225 index of leading shares rose fractionally in the half-day final session to close at 17,225.83 points.—AFP