LONDON, Feb 17: European stock exchanges wilted on Friday, dragged down by sliding oil prices and weak US housing market data.

The London FTSE 100 index fell 0.21 per cent to close at 6,419.50 points, while in Paris the CAC 40 slipped 0.13 percent to finish at 5,713.59. The Frankfurt Dax shed 0.02 per cent to reach 6,957.07.

The EuroStoxx 50 index of leading eurozone shares gave up 0.25 per cent to end the week at 4,247.40.

On the currency market the dollar was little changed against the euro but was under pressure following the release of economic data in the United States that presaged no imminent increase in US interest rates.

The single European currency in late-day trade was at $1.3137 after 1.3139 late Thursday in New York.

Wall Street shares swung lower after the government reported that US housing starts plunged to their lowest level in nearly a decade last month.

The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average, which closed at a record high Thursday, dipped 0.10 per cent to 12,751.87 at 1655 GMT.

The tech-laden Nasdaq composite was down 0.29pc to 2,489.97.

Shares weakened after the Commerce Department said housing starts slid 14.3 per cent in January to a seasonally adjusted 1.408 million units.

The steeper-than-expected slump in housing activity saw starts fall to their lowest level since August 1997.

Most Wall Street analysts had expected housing starts to decline, but only to around 1.600 million units.

Some analysts played down the sharp slump in housing starts.

The decline is exaggerated, however, and not too much emphasis should be placed on it. January was a cold month after a warm December, said Dick Green, an analyst.—AFP