FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - The Dax made only modest gains on Thursday ahead of important price data. At the end of trading, the leading German index was up 0.30 percent at 18,210.55 points. The index thus remained within the range of the past two days - price fluctuations were particularly pronounced in the middle of the week. The MDax of mid-caps closed 0.15 percent firmer on Thursday at 25,373.89 points.

On Friday, US consumer spending and price data for May are on the agenda. Particular attention will be paid to the so-called PCE price index, which is the Fed's preferred measure of inflation. Deviations from expectations could trigger significant swings on the stock markets, according to experts from the eToro trading platform. Investors were looking for signals of a permanent containment of inflation. Signs of stubborn inflation could therefore make further price rises on the US stock markets more difficult.

Investors in Europe and the USA also remained cautious on Thursday. The leading eurozone index, the EuroStoxx 50, ultimately fell by just under 0.3 percent. In London and especially in Paris, share prices fell even more sharply. By contrast, New York's leading index, the Dow Jones Industrial, and the technology-heavy Nasdaq 100 rose moderately at the end of European trading./gl/he