Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
EUROPE STOCK EXCHANGE: European shares eased before a widely expected increase in borrowing costs despite slower inflation, with mining stock Anglo American hit by the gold price retreating from recent highs.
The European Central Bank has virtually announced in advance that the outcome of its monetary policy meeting on Thursday will be a 25 basis-point raise in the 12-nation single currency bloc's main interest rate to 2.25 percent. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index ended with a 0.53 percent drop at 1,236.06 points.
FRANKFURT STOCK EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 5193.4 points, down 6.08 or 0.12 percent.
PARIS STOCK EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4567.41 points, down 21.32 or 0.46 percent.
ZURICH STOCK EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 7407.52 points, down 33.18 or 0.45 percent.
MILAN STOCK EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 25909 points, down 112 or 0.43 percent.
SYDNEY STOCK EXCHANGE: Australian shares ended flat, dragged back by losses in the nation's top phone company Telstra after earlier gains for banks and retailers on the back of strong economic data. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index slipped 4.2 points, or 0.09 percent, to close at 4,634.8.
JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE: South African stocks skidded for a fourth session as investors cashed in profits amid lower precious metals prices and fuels group Sasol slid on disappointment over a trading update. The All-share index closed at 16774.54 points, down 255.99 or 1.50 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2266.19 points, down 34.43 or 1.50 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 12007.08 points, down 184.54 or 1.51 percent.