Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares ended the day's session at their highest closing level in six-and-a-half-years, boosted by a strong rally in telecom stocks as bid speculation continued to whip through the market.
Among major movers, A.P. Moeller-Maersk jumped after Morgan Stanley raised its recommendation, while PSA Peugeot Citroen after saying it would slash costs by nearly a third as it seeks to boost profitability. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index ended up 0.8 percent at 1,609.8 points, its highest close since November 2000.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 7,735.88 points, up 76.49 or 1.00 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 6,120.2 points, up 30.48 or 0.50 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 9,438.77 points, up 77.7 or 0.83 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 34,035 points, up 221 or 0.65 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Shares rose 0.26 percent as a soaring debut for Platinum Asset Management Ltd fired a rally in fund firms and Qantas Airways Ltd hit a record with investors betting on a generous capital return. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index ended up 16.3 points at 6,355.1.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: Stocks rose, driven by solid earnings, higher gold and metal prices and positive sentiment on overseas equity markets, traders said. The All-share index closed at 29,087.49 points, up 458.11 or 1.60 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,784.59 points, up 25.68 or 0.93 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 20,162.01 points, up 333.67 or 1.68 percent.