1.  In Paris, shares were weaker despite the publication of encouraging French statistics, as dealers said the instability of interest rates was making investors nervous.

2.  Consumer confidence in France remained stable in December, after having slightly firmed up in November, French statistics agency INSEE said on Friday.

3.  The French statistics institute INSEE earlier this month asserted that the euro cash launch would have little effect on prices.

4.  The franc has also been affected recently by some poor French economic statistics, which make a reduction of French interest rates inevitable, analysts say.