Shares were mixed on Friday ahead of a key vote on a revised version of the US $700bn (Ј395bn) bail-out plan.
The FTSE-100 index shed 0.5% and France's Cac shed 0.4%, but Germany's benchmark Dax edged 0.25% higher.
Earlier Asian firms saw steep falls, echoing sharp declines on Wall Street amid uncertainty over the bail-out.
While the Senate has backed a new version of the bill, it must go back to the House of Representatives, to gain approval. A vote is expected on Friday.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 2.3% while Japan's Nikkei index closed 1.9% lower. US stocks had ended 3.2% down.
Even if the bail-out plan is passed, concerns over the world economy remain.
"The bail-out could move us toward a solution, but there are many unresolved issues," said Tim Rocks, Asia strategist at Macquarie Securities in Hong Kong.
"We're starting to suffer and this will have an impact on Asia exports through next year".
The US is a major customer for Asian countries, whose economies rely heavily on exports.
Economic figures released on Thursday were an example of the US slowdown. US factory orders slipped 4% in August compared with July, a greater fall than forecast.
While the rescue package has met fierce criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, there are concerns that the uncertainty has aggravated market volatility.
(BBC)
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