Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Monday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares closed lower, breaking a four-day winning streak as fears about possible al Qaeda attacks in the United States rattled nerves but British bank HSBC jumped after its profit beat forecasts.
Other bank stocks were also in focus with HBOS down 2.2 percent to 697 pence after saying it was considering a bid for fellow UK bank Abbey National, in competition with Spain's Banco Santander Central Hispano. Abbey shares gained 2.6 percent to 584 pence while Santander shares added 0.8 percent.
The FTSE Eurotop-300 index of pan-European blue chips closed down 0.1 percent at 980.8 points.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 3862.71 points, down 32.90 or 0.84 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 3623.79 points, down 23.31 or 0.64 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 5537.8 points, down 9.4 or 0.17 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 20678 points, down 67 or 0.32 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Australian stocks rose to their best level in nearly three weeks, buoyed by the energy sector as oil prices reached fresh highs and a further rebound in banking stocks.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index closed up 0.25 percent or 8.8 points at 3,544.9.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South Africa's heavyweight stocks lifted the stock exchange higher after the rand weakened on the back of stronger dollar demand.
The All Share index ended up 0.53 percent or 54.30 points to 10,360.19, the Gold index rose 1.5 percent or 25.24 points to 1,706.32, while the Industrial index closed up 0.69 percent or 50.41 points to 7377.48.