London's FTSE 100 index retreated 1.9%, Frankfurt's DAX tumbled 2.7% and Paris's CAC-40 fell 2.5%.
The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was 0.7 percent higher at 6, 326.
The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index closed up 0.5%, at 5777.11, edging up 0.1% on the week.
The FTSE 100 index lost 1% to 5513.69, but was up 0.6% on a weekly basis.
In London, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares closed 73.79 points, or 1.9 percent, higher at 3, 926.38.
In London, the FTSE 100 index of leading shares finished the day up 3.5% or 205.3 points at 6, 064.2.
While Unilever is lagging behind the FTSE 100 Index this year, it outperformed the market by 16% last year.
And weaker metals prices pushed London's FTSE 100 index 2.2% lower at close as mining firm Antofagasta shed 7.85%.
The latest problems came only two days after the FTSE 100 index was unavailable for four hours on Monday.
Britain's FTSE 100 index ended the day 1.2%, lower, while France's CAC-40 sank 1.8%, and Germany's DAX closed down 1.3%.
The FTSE 100 index added 0.4% to 5965.58, its highest close since July 8, further buoyed by the U.K. banks.
In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares and the DAX in Germany each fell about half a percent.
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The company is slated to be added to the FTSE 100 index on May 25, according to the Kingdom Holding release.
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At the news of Mr East's departure shares in the FTSE 100 Index company fell by 3% to just under 900p.
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Among other benchmarks, the French CAC 40 index added 0.6% to 3237.69, and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 index firmed 0.7% to 5634.74.
In other regional equity markets, Germany's DAX finished 0.3% lower at 6384.26 and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 index declined 0.6% at 5405.25.
Among major national benchmarks, the U.K. FTSE 100 index shed 0.2% to 5875.93, and Germany's DAX 30 index eased 0.1% to 6748.76.
In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was up 0.2 percent at 6, 352 while Germany's DAX was unchanged at 7, 850.
The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index rose 0.5% to 5337.00, France's CAC-40 index ended up 0.5% at 3026.76 and Germany's DAX added 1% to 5799.91.
In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 0.4 percent at 6, 428 while Germany's DAX rose 0.1 percent to 7, 918.
The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index edged up 0.2% to 5483.81, but France's CAC-40 fell 0.6% to 3030.04 and Germany's DAX slipped 0.1% to 6152.49.
In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 0.7 percent at 6, 386 while Germany's DAX fell 0.9 percent to 7, 934.
In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 1 percent at 6, 423 while Germany's DAX fell 1.2 percent to 7, 944.
The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index ended down 1% at 5871.51, Germany's DAX fell 0.5% to 6856.08 and France's CAC-40 index ended nearly flat at 3452.45.
After all, despite the fact that the FTSE 100 index has offered investors negligible real returns over the last ten years, executive remuneration has skyrocketed.
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The falls weighed on the market, and the FTSE 100 Index closed up just 11.8 points at 5164.9 - after earlier surging by 126 points.
The Stoxx 600's monthly advance was also Thursday's gain, while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 index gained 0.6% to 6360.81, for a monthly gain of 1.3%.
In afternoon trading, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares rose 4.56 percent, Germany's DAX index jumped 8.66 percent, and France's CAC-40 rose 3.15 percent.
In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was up 0.4 percent at 6, 550 while the CAC-40 in France rose 0.6 percent higher to 3, 931.
Last month it announced it had created more than 6, 000 jobs in six months and earlier this month it rejoined the FTSE 100 index of leading shares.
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