LONDON, May 12: European stock markets fell on Friday, following a negative trend in Asia after Wall Street plunged overnight, dealers said.

The FTSE 100 index of leading shares shed 0.45 per cent to 6,014.90 points in late morning deals, Frankfurt’s DAX 30 lost 0.32 per cent to 6,035.61 points and in Paris the CAC 40 index declined 0.57 per cent to 5,232.71. The DJ Euro Stoxx 50 index of leading eurozone shares fell 0.59 per cent to 3,815.21 points.

The euro stood at $1.2899 after breaching $1.29 on Friday for the first time in a year.

US stocks went into a tailspin Thursday amid concerns that rising commodity prices would translate into higher inflation, leading to further hikes in US interest rates, dealers said.

In London on Friday, the FTSE was dragged down by losses to heavyweight mining and energy stocks.

Chilean-based copper miner Antofagasta dived 2.12 per cent to 2,499 pence, Anglo American shed 1.77 per cent to 2,502 pence and Rio Tinto fell 1.41pc to 3,275 pence.

Among energy stocks, British Energy gave up 1.68 per cent to 673.5 pence and Cairn Energy lost 1.61 per cent to 2,376 pence.

On the continent, investors digested results from the world’s biggest steel groups.

In Paris, Arcelor gained 0.28 per cent to 35.55 euros after its net profit fell by 19.8 per cent in the first quarter from the equivalent figure for 2005 because of lower steel prices and a rise in the cost of raw materials.

German steel giant ThyssenKrupp meanwhile surged 4.21 per cent to 29.73 euros in Frankfurt trading after its earnings beat expectations in the second quarter.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite plunged 2.07 per cent to 2,272.70 points and the broad-market Standard and Poor’s 500 index sank 1.28 per cent to 1,305.92.

In Asia on Friday, Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei-225 index finished at 16,601.78 points, the lowest close since March 24.

Hong Kong’s key Hang Seng Index ended down 1.39 per cent at 16,901.85 points.—AFP