Around the World's Markets: Frankfurt

THE XETRA DAX closed 1 per cent lower at 5,201.5 as Wall Street wobbled on fears of a US rate rise.

Shares in BASF rose 2.25 per cent on rumours that its lawyers would meet with two other European firms accused of vitamin price fixing would meet early next week to look for a settlement. Last month the US fined BASF and the Swiss drugs company Roche a record $725m for conspiring to fix vitamin prices. The day's most active share was Deutsche Telekom, extending Wednesday's gains by another 1.15 per cent.