Author: Elena Todorova
123jump.com
Last Update: 1:40 PM EDT April 12 2007

European stock markets finished slightly lower on Thursday amid weakness in the shares of automakers Renault and DaimlerChrysler, pressured by higher oil prices. Merger news, involving food group Nestle and Nordic exchange operator OMX, failed to lift sentiment. ECB provided some relief by leaving interest rates unchanged. The U.K.''''s FTSE 100 closed virtually flat at 6,416.40, while the German DAX 30 declined 0.1%, and the French CAC-40 slipped 0.1%