Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares were off their lows as DaimlerChrysler recovered from earlier losses after topping a profit forecast, while strong US data were also supportive.
The German-American carmaker, the world's fifth-biggest, posted a 2003 operating profit excluding one-offs of 5.1 billion euros, surpassing its full-year target of 5 billion euros.
Daimler shares turned 0.4 percent higher to 37.4 euros after being down about 1.5 percent before the group unveiled its annual scorecard.
Pan-European benchmarks were still weighed by falls in German drug firm Bayer and Spanish bank Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 4028.37 points, down 29.14 or 0.72 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 3607.57 points, down 30.64 or 0.84 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 5775.6 points, up 40.6 or 0.71 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 20519 points, up 17 or 0.08 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Australian stocks finished a shade firmer thanks to the central bank's decision not to raise rates, but spice maker Burns Philp plumbed an 11-month low after reporting a fall in first-quarter profit.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index closed up 1.3 points or 0.04 percent to 3,265.6.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South Africa's stock market ended on a negative note, led lower by losses in heavyweight platinum and gold mining firms and as soggy international markets weighed overall sentiment.
The All-share index ended down 0.6 percent or 59.60 points to 10,758.17, the Gold index closed down 1.36 percent or 33.22 points to 2417.22, while the Industrial index ended down 0.41 percent or 29.3 points to 7147.74.