GERMAN stocks, including BASF AG and RWE AG, declined.

FIVE of Europe’s most powerful plastics companies met in a Dublin hotel room in October 1999 to set the price for plastic moulding compounds.

BASF AG and Dow Chemical Co, the world’s two biggest chemical makers, said first quarter earnings rose on higher demand for pesticides, electronics materials and basic chemicals such as ethylene.

Germany's BASF AG have not commented on the French government's decision to suspend the sale of its Regent insecticide, which may pose a danger to bees.