Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European share prices fell after the Federal Reserve chairman said uncertainty over the US economic outlook had risen, upsetting investors already unnerved by deteriorating relations with Iran.
Mounting geopolitical tension sparked a rally in the oil price, helping major energy producers such as BP, but offset potentially supportive talk of more mergers in the pipeline as investors grew increasingly uneasy. Bernanke told the Joint Economic Committee of the US Congress that uncertainties surrounding the economic outlook had increased recently and future Fed decisions would depend on what happens to both inflation and growth.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed down 0.61 percent at 1,499.83 points, making this the third consecutive trading day of declines.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 6816.89 points, down 41.45 or 0.60 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 5552.69 points, down 34.37 or 0.62 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 8870.56 points, down 95.73 or 1.07 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 32074 points, down 77 or 0.24 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Australian shares fell 0.7 percent, with the big miners and US-linked construction firms leading losses on fresh concerns a housing slowdown in the world's biggest economy would crimp profits. The S&P/ASX 200 index lost 41 points to close at 5,923.2.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South African stocks closed flat, reversing earlier gains after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke raised the alarm about prospects for the US economy. The All-share index closed 0.04 percent down at 26,829.80 points. The All Gold index closed at 2898.65 points, up 48.45 or 1.70 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 18413.67 points, down 88.78 or 0.48 percent.