Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European equities lost ground, ending at their lowest close in six weeks as persistent credit fears continued to pull banking stocks lower. But the drop was limited by a rally in mining shares, spurred by BHP Billiton's bid for Rio Tinto.
Rio gained 22 percent, while BHP dropped 5.8 percent. Rising shares of Siemens, up 8.6 percent, also helped cushion the fall. The industrial group delivered stronger-than-expected quarterly results, raised profitability targets and announced a 10 billion-euro share buyback programme. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed 0.5 percent lower at 1,535.81 points, after falling to as low as 1,520.88 earlier in the session.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 7819.47 points, up 19.85 or 0.25 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 5631.63 points, down 51.59 or 0.91 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 8605.23 points, down 97.94 or 1.13 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 30009 points, down 536 or 1.75 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Australian shares fell 2.55 percent to their lowest in six weeks as growing worries about global credit markets sparked selling in financial stocks such as Macquarie Group. The S&P/ASX 200 index ended down 170.8 points at 6,521.6.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: Heavyweight miner Anglo American closed up to 11 percent higher boosting South African stocks and the rand, after its rival BHP Billiton made a long-awaited bid for Rio Tinto. The All-share index closed at 31055.12 points, up 287.36 or 0.93 percent.
The All Gold index closed at 2622.29 points, up 78.41 or 3.08 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 20923.56 points, down 167.22 or 0.79 percent.
SINGAPORE STOCKS EXCHANGE: Singapore financial markets were closed on Thursday for a public holiday. Trading will resume on Friday.