(Updates with full report)
AMSTERDAM (AFX) - Shares closed broadly lower in Amsterdam as financial stocks and a lower Wall Street weighed on the index, dealers said.
The AEX closed 0.17 pct or 0.86 points lower at 492.96, after trading in a range of 490.89-494.05.
Government bonds traded mixed while the euro stood at 1.2862 usd versus 1.2832 usd late yesterday.
Financials helped keep the AEX index down, with Fortis off 1.50 pct at 32.22 eur, ABN Amro gave up 0.52 pct at 23.15, while ING recovered from steep losses earlier just before the bell, edging up 0.12 pct to 33.74 eur after Rabo Securities lowered its price target on the stock to 39 eur from 40 following yesterday's slightly lower than expected third-quarter results.
Wolters Kluwer fell 0.45 pct at 21.90 as both Rabo Securities and Kempen downgraded the publisher to 'hold' from 'buy' after Wednesday's third-quarter results. Delta Lloyd Securities felt differently, upping its price target to 25.0 eur from 23.50 and keeping its 'buy' rating on the issue.
Rodamco Europe edged 0.17 pct lower to 90.10 eur ahead of third-quarter earnings on Monday.
Getronics led decliners, down 1.79 pct to 6.03 after strong gains earlier this week. Fellow tech-related issue ASML shed 0.77 pct to 18.12 while Philips dropped 0.28 pct to 28.19 eur.
Defensive shares led gainers. DSM added 0.52 pct to 37.02 eur, TNT rose 0.60 pct to 31.80, Unilever gained 0.44 pct to 20.57 and Royal Dutch Shell put on 0.36 pct to 27.86 eur.
Among midcap shares, VastNed Retail went down 0.58 pct to 68.25 eur, failing to benefit from its raised full-year outlook after in-line results for the first nine months. Randstad shed 1.17 pct to 48.92 eur, BAM Groep lost 1.41 pct to 16.05 eur, LogicaCMG dropped 1.61 pct to 2.45 eur and Boskalis led decliners, dropping 1.65 pct to 56.70 eur.
Hunter Douglas ended flat at 56.60 eur as Rabo downgraded the window coverings maker to 'reduce' from 'hold', with the price target cut to 49 eur from 59.
On the upside, Heijmans led gainers, adding 1.54 pct to 40.90 eur, while Corus put on 0.57 to 7.02 eur, Corio gained 0.44 pct to 56.55, and Oce added 0.43 pct to 11.78 eur. kaj.leers@afxnews.com tfn-ams-kel/tfn-ams-kel/nes COPYRIGHT Copyright AFX News Limited 2006. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News. AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited
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