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The Australian shares continue to suffer a stock market downturn caused by debt crisis in Europe. Yesterday the Australian market closed nearly unchanged in a day of fluctuating trade. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index Wednesday shed more than 1.5 per cent in early trade after Wall Street resumed its slide on a surprise move by Germany to restrict some financial transactions against banks.

Overnight US stocks finished in a fresh 13-month high as energy and material sectors are boosted after the better-than-expected Japanese economy growth. The market was also inspired as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's said that interest rates would stay low. The US government data showed that retail sales rose 1.4 per cent in October, also exceeding market expectations.

Wall Street made a third consecutive day gain overnight as some latest economic data shows that the recession is bottoming out. Financials were also buoyed after Insurance giant American International Group said it expects to repay the government.

Yesterday the Australian share market ended slightly lower dragged by financial stocks. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 was down 10.7 points, or 0.28 per cent, at 3813.9, while the broader All Ordinaries had lost 4.2 points, or 0.11 per cent, to 3804.7.