Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Tuesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European stocks rose, led by Daimler after news that the German carmaker will resume share buybacks and on strength in miners such as Rio Tinto amid take-over speculation.
Better than expected quarterly profits from Goldman Sachs and news that the US investment bank has completed a long-awaited rescue of a $7 billion structured investment vehicle supported European banks, notably Barclays.
Stock markets also drew strength from remarks signalling that the US Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England were toning down expectations of aggressive monetary policy tightening to combat rising inflation.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed 0.5 percent higher at 1,268.90 points, wiping out the previous session's losses. The index is down 18.7 percent so far in 2008 but 5.8 percent above is mid-March year-low.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 6,796.16 points, up 66.28 or 0.98 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4,686.33 points, up 28.59 or 0.61 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 7,251.42 points, up 13.15 or 0.18 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 24,021 points, up 142 or 0.59 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Shares gained 0.95 percent as banks rose after central bank comments signalled interest rates on hold for some time, while miners were lifted by higher copper and gold prices. The S&P/ASX 200 index added 51.0 points to 5,422.7, after falling as much as 1.15 percent in early trade on concerns over the economic effect of high oil prices.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South Africa's rand strengthened against the dollar as weak US housing data felled the greenback and local stocks also ended higher, buoyed by strong commodities and in line with firm global markets. The All-share index closed at 31,451.04 points, up 383.48 or 1.23 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,229.9 points, up 3.49 or 0.16 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 20,560.24 points, down 408.98 or 1.95 percent.