The German blue-chip DAX 30 index ended trading 1.92 percent lower on Thursday, after another turbulent day for auto stocks as the global pollution cheating scandal continued to keep investors jumpy.

The DAX index closed at 9.427.64 points, with shares in the auto giant Volkswagen, at the centre of the storm, ending the day 0.58 percent higher, while shares in fellow car maker BMW shed 5.15 percent.