Frankfurt, Aug 18 (IANS): The benchmark DAX index at Frankfurt Stock Exchange dropped slightly by 44.81 points and closed at 10,940.33 points.

The Empire State Manufacturing index in August for New York manufacturers tumbled 19 points to -14.9, its lowest level since 2009, Xinhua reported on Monday.

The drop left investors here worried about a reversal of the possible rate hike in the US, according to local analysts. The blue-chip index lost 0.41 percent.

Infineon Technologies AG, a semi-conductor producer, advanced by 1.22 percent. BMW AG St added 0.81 percent. HeidelbergCement AG rose by 0.7 percent. Deutsche Post AG climbed by 0.48 percent and Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA, a healthcare group, went up by 0.43 percent.

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA Vz, which operates in three areas including laundry and home care, beauty care and adhesive technologies, lost 2.26 percent.

K S Aktiengesellschaft, a standard and specialty fertilisers provider, plunged by 1.41 percent. Deutsche Telekom AG slipped by 1.01 percent. The utilities company E.ON SE slid by 0.86 percent. Daimler AG went down by 0.81 percent.

The turnover stood at 3.02 billion euros (around $3.35 billion). Daimler AG was the most traded share of the day with a turnover of 276.26 million euros (around $306.81 million).