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London - European stocks flattened on Thursday as investors awaited the latest batch of banking results from across the Atlantic, dealers said.
London's FTSE 100 index of top companies rose 0.03% to 6 822.07 points and in Paris the CAC 40 fell 0.17% to 4 2325.09 in late morning deals.
Frankfurt's DAX 30 index dipped 0.01% to 9 732.84 points, compared with Wednesday's closing values.
All three major markets had rallied on Wednesday, with sentiment boosted after the World Bank declared that the global economy was at a turning point.
"European shares are trading little changed," said trader Markus Huber at London-based broker Peregrine & Black on Thursday.
Institutional buyers
"Traders will continue to keep a close eye on the US earnings season today (on Thursday) with heavyweights Citigroup and Goldman Sachs reporting."
In Paris, French supermarket giant Carrefour topped the fallers board after posting poor fourth-quarter sales.
Carrefour's share price sank 2.83% to 27.5 euros in late morning deals.
Airbus Group shares rose 0.49% to 56.92 euros, following news that the French state had raised 451 million euros by selling a 1% stake in the European aerospace giant.
The divestment, of about eight million shares to institutional buyers, reduces France's stake in the publicly traded group to 11% - the same as Airbus Group partner Germany.
Strong rally
Asian stock markets mostly rose following a record-breaking close on Wall Street as investors welcomed fresh positive US data and an upbeat Federal Reserve report.
Sydney jumped 1.21% as an upbeat output report from resources giant Rio Tinto lifted commodities shares.
Hong Kong added 0.37%, Seoul rose 0.21% and Shanghai closed flat.
Tokyo fell 0.39%, giving up earlier gains on profit-taking after Wednesday's strong rally.
Investor confidence was given a boost by an all-time high close for the S&P 500 -- its first record of the new year -- after a positive report on the US economy from the Federal Reserve.
The central bank said in its "Beige Book" that the economy grew at a "moderate" pace across most regions at the end of 2013, with muted price and wage rises.
Worst crisis
The survey, covering the end of November and December, showed hiring in most areas was slow but steady, "with few instances of rapid growth, but very few reports of staff cuts or plant closings".
In foreign exchange activity on Thursday, the European single currency edged up to $1.3619 from $1.3604 late on Wednesday in New York.
The euro rose to 83.30 British pence from 83.10 pence on Wednesday. The pound dipped to 1.6347 from $1.6370.
Gold prices firmed to $1 236.72 an ounce from $1 236 on Wednesday on the London Bullion Market.
The Turkish currency plunged further on Thursday as the government grappled with its worst crisis in years, hitting a new low of 2.20 lira to the dollar.
In late morning trading, the lira was changing hands at 2.2047 to the dollar and 3.0058 to the euro. The Istanbul stock exchange was also down 1%.
