Most equities markets were higher in Europe on Thursday, but in Madrid the IBEX dropped 0.46 percent to 14,292.5.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.38 percent to 1,511.08, while the CAC-40 was up a bare 0.09 percent to 5,523.33 and the Dax gained 0.15 percent to 7,511.96 in Frankfurt.

Some carmakers were lower on the day.

Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) was down 0.86 percent to €60.18 after it issued a recall for 240,000 cars, while Volkswagen (FWB: VOW; OTC: VLKAY) fell 1.2 percent to €149.62.

Chipmakers saw declines as STMicroelectronics (Euronext: STM; NYSE: STM) dropped 0.64 percent to €12.36 and Infineon (FWB: IFX; NYSE: IFX) was 1.16 percent lower to €11.05.

Among banks, Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE: DB) was the biggest loser on the Dax as it fell 2.12 percent to €91.17.

In Paris, Credit Agricole (Euronext: ACA) dropped 0.65 percent to €27.52.

However, elsewhere within financial services, financial planner MLP (FWB: MLPG) had the best day on the Dax as it added 4.3 percent to €12.43.

Construction-related shares were higher, with construction materials group Lafarge (Euronext: LG; NYSE: LR) leading the CAC-40 as it added 2.2 percent to €113.48.

Builder Vinci was 1.24 percent higher to €51.63.

Other gainers on the day included Deutsche Boerse (FWB: DB1), which was up 2.74 percent to €81.53 on consolidation within the sector.

European equities markets were higher Monday.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 gained 2.37 percent to 1,514.49.

In Frankfurt the Dax was 1.78 percent higher to 7,474.33, while Madrid’s IBEX added 1.92 percent to 14,731.8 and the Paris CAC-40 was up 2.21 percent to 5,569.28.

Car and truck manufacturers saw gains.

Peugeot (Euronext: UG; OTC: PEUGY) was up 3.24 percent to €59.57 and Renault (Euronext: RNO) gained 3.79 percent to €98.74 in Paris, while in Frankfurt DaimlerChrysler (FWB: DCX; NYSE: DCX; TYO: 7663) was up to €62.45 and truck manufacturer Man (FWB: EDF1) gained 4.63 percent to €98.53.

Airlines were also higher, with Lufthansa (FWB: LHA) up 4.23 percent to €19.92 while Air France (Euronext: AF; NYSE: AKH) added 5.04 percent to €30.

Chemicals group Altana (FWB: ALT; NYSE: AAA) had the best day on the Dax with a gain of 5.15 percent to €15.71.

Meanwhile, the best performer on the CAC-40 was tire maker Michelin (Euronext: ML), which was 5.35 percent higher to €88.81.

Other gainers included steel maker ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA; LSE: THK) with a gain of 3.82 percent to €39.65 on a broker upgrade from “hold” to “add”.

Property investor Unibail (Euronext: UL) turned in the worst performance on the CAC-40, dropping 1.96 percent to €170.77, while the worst day on the Dax was in the financial services sector as MLP (FWB: MLPB) - formerly Marschollek, Lautenschlager, and Partner - with a decline of 2.84 percent to €12.33.

Software manufacturer SAP (FWB: SAP; NYSE: SAP) fell 0.53 percent to 39.29.

Food processor Groupe Danone (Euronext: BN; NYSE: DA) was 0.69 percent lower to €54.35, while drinks producer Pernon-Ricard (Euronext: RI) dropped 0.88 percent to €153.76.

In Europe, equities markets were lower on Thursday on interest rate concerns.

While the European Central Bank held interest rates at 4 percent, as had been expected, investors are worried that rates could go up again soon.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 dropped 0.61 percent to 1,610.24. The IBEX was 0.55 percent lower in Madrid to close at 14,907.4, while the Paris CAC-40 fell 0.63 percent to 6,059.53 and the Dax was down 1.09 percent to 7,987.13 in Frankfurt.

There were only four gainers in Paris on the session, with retailer Carrefour (Euronext: CA) having the best day with a gain of 2.81 percent to €54.23.

Others seeing gains included aerospace group EADS (Euronext: EAD; FWB: EAD) up 0.21 percent to €24.10.

Drug maker Sanofi-Aventis (Euronext: SAN; NYSE: SNY) gained 0.44 percent to €61.44, while power generator Alstom (Euronext: ALO) added 0.89 percent to €128.03.

In Frankfurt, financial planner MLP (FWB: MLP) performed best on the session as it added 0.52 percent to €15.44, while retailer Metro (FWB: MEO) gained 0.41 percent to €62.01.

The biggest losers on the day in both Pairs and Frankfurt were in the utilities sector.

In Frankfurt, Eon (FWB: EOA; LSE: EON; NYSE: EON) dropped 2.38 percent to €121.51, while EDF (Euronext: EEN) was 3.7 percent lower in Paris, to €77.52.

Insurers had a tough day of it as well. AXA (Euronext: CS; NYSE: AXA) was 1.23 percent lower to €32.12, while Allianz (FWB: ALV; NYSE: AZ) dropped 1.76 percent to €171.21.