Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Monday.
EUROPE STOCK EXCHANGE: European shares ended little changed as merger activity and a retreat in oil prices helped to offset cautious comments by Barron's weekly on technology bellwether Ericsson and a weak telecom sector. Shares in Swedish industrials Volvo, SKF, Sandvik and Atlas Copco stood out after US equipment rental group United Rentals said its 2004 results will meet or exceed previous forecasts. But index heavyweight Vodafone fell as a placement in newly-renamed mobile phone operator O2 lured money from elsewhere in the telecom sector.
FRANKFURT STOCK EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 4367.30 points, up 6.81 or 0.16 percent.
PARIS STOCK EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4048.55 points, down 0.63 or 0.63 percent.
ZURICH STOCK EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 5963.00 points, down 8.92 or 0.15 percent.
MILAN STOCK EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 24194 points, down 3 or 0.01 percent.
SYDNEY STOCK EXCHANGE: Australian stocks closed near session highs as mining and oil giants pushed further ahead on persistent bullishness about China-led demand for resources. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index finished 29.7 points or 0.7 percent firmer at 4,233.5.
JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE: A weaker rand lifted South African exporters and miners like Harmony Gold, but several ex-dividend stocks tempered bourse gains. The All-share index closed at 13595.11, up 87.06 points or 0.64 percent, the Gold index closed at 1687.76, up 15.44 points or 0.92 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 10098.77, up 83.62 points or 0.83 percent.