Closing Stock Market Indices Outside The U.S.

Britain`s leading share index dropped 2.45 percent as a three-day rally by banks reversed, and miners fell.

LONDON - Britain's leading share index dropped 2.45 percent as a three-day rally by banks reversed, and miners fell, weighed down by lower metals prices and a cash call by Xstrata. By the close, the FTSE 100 was down 105.09 points at 4,190.11, having gained 2.4 percent on Wednesday.

EUROPE - European shares closed lower as a relief rally for banks came to an abrupt end, drugmaker AstraZeneca's results failed to impress, and further evidence of worldwide economic weakness emerged. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares fell 1.8 percent to close at 796.49, following three days of gains.

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 4,428.11 points, down 90.61 or 2.01 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,009.75 points, down 66.26 or 2.15 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 5,272.9 points, down 145.03 or 2.68 percent.

MILAN - The All Share Mibtel index closed at 14,361 points, down 147 or 1.01 percent.

TOKYO - The Nikkei stock average climbed 1.79 percent after Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and other banks surged amid hopes for a U.S. bank rescue plan, but the yen's advance on the dollar capped gains. The benchmark Nikkei rose 144.95 points to close at 8,251.24 for its third straight day of gains, up 6.5 percent so far this week.

HONG KONG - Shares extended an early rally to close sharply higher as financial stocks kept up the momentum on hopes the U.S. Congress-approved $825 billion aid package would help avert a deeper recession. The Hang Seng Index gained 4.58 percent or 575.83 points to close at 13,154.43, off the day's high of 13,560.07.

SYDNEY - Shares rose 0.88 percent as financial stocks gained on hopes that the Obama administration's plan to stimulate U.S. economy would ease the logjam in credit markets and revive global growth. The S&P/ASX 200 index added 30.7 points to close at 3,526.2, adding to Wednesday's 3.0 percent rise.

JOHANNESBURG - Blue-chip stocks ended a three-day winning run, weighed down by weaker resource shares, although Gold Fields rose after it posted higher second-quarter earnings. The All-share index closed at 20,581.77 points, down 446.77 or 2.12 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,531.01 points, up 122.51 or 5.09 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 16,040.37 points, down 276.72 or 1.70 percent.