Germany's benchmark DAX index closes down

The benchmark DAX index at Frankfurt Stock Exchange on Friday went down and closed at 10,051.57 points.

After a 6 percent increase during the last few days, the blue-chip DAX index went down slightly by 42.08 points, or 0.42 percent. Profit taking was part of the reasons for the decline, according to local analysts.

The two utilities companies E.ON and RWE led the risers' list, up by 2.21 percent and 1.25 percent. Thyssenkrupp advanced by 0.54 percent. Deutsche Lufthansa rose by 0.46 percent. Deutsche Telekom gained 0.45 percent.

On the other hand, Volkswagen plunged by 2.36 percent. Daimler slipped by 2.11 percent. Continental dropped by 1.49 percent. Fresenius, a diversified health care group, fell by 1.42 percent. ProSiebenSat1 Media went down by 1.39 percent.

SAP was the most traded share of the day with a turnover of 533.94 million euros (601.45 million U.S. dollars).