Closing Stock Market Indices Outside The U.S.

Updates to official close the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index

Here is how major stock markets
outside the United States ended on Thursday.

LONDON - The of FTSE 100 Britain's leading shares ended up 0.9 percent, extending earlier gains as U.S. data, M&A activity and higher oil prices boosted stocks. The FTSE 100 closed at 6,324.2 points, up 57 or 0.91 percent.

EUROPE - European shares rose as investors took heart from a fresh burst of new merger talk across the region.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index closed up 1.4 percent at 1,516.88 points, breaking three straight days of losses.

In other European markets, London's FTSE 100 index was up 0.9 percent, while Frankfurt's rose 1.2 percent and Paris' CAC 40 gained 1.4 percent.

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 6,897.08 points, up 80.19 or 1.18 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 5,631.53 points, up 78.84 or 1.42 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 8,977.45 points, up 106.89 or 1.21 percent.

MILAN - The All Share Mibtel index closed at 32,487 points, up 413 or 1.29 percent.

TOKYO - The Nikkei share average ended flat as losses in Sony and other exporters on concerns about the U.S. economic outlook were offset by gains in Oki Electric after a media report about its restructuring plans. The Nikkei closed up 9.21 points or 0.05 percent at 17,263.94.

HONG KONG - Hong Kong stocks rallied 1.4 percent, with mainland telcos, financials and oil plays out in front, as investors took cues from gains on the Shanghai bourse, which hit a record for a fourth straight day. The Hang Seng Index ended at 19,821.78, its highest close since February 27.

SYDNEY - Australian shares reversed earlier losses to rise 0.6 percent, buoyed by a rebound in banking stocks and in top miner BHP Billiton, and by a recovery in other Asian markets. The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 37.7 points to 5,960.9.

JOHANNESBURG - South African stocks surged to a fresh record closing peak as fund managers heavy with cash went on a buying spree, especially for banks like FirstRand. The All-share index closed at 27,150.59 points, up 320.79 or 1.20 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,856.92 points, down 41.73 or 1.44 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 18,596.57 points, up 182.9 or 0.99 percent.