Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Tuesday.
EUROPE STOCK EXCHANGE: Drugmakers such as Sanofi-Aventis boosted European shares to a stronger close in choppy trade, while US data eased inflation fears ahead of an expected rise in interest rates. Europe's third-largest drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis rose 2.4 percent after it won a patent case in Canada over its top-selling blood thinner Plavix. Among other gainers, Dutch chip equipment maker ASML rallied 3.6 percent as Deutsche Bank upgraded its rating to "buy" from "hold", saying the stock's risk-reward ratio had become more compelling.
FRANKFURT STOCK EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 4,320.69 points, up 24.33 or 0.57 percent.
PARIS STOCK EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4,047.18 points, up 14.18 or 0.35 percent.
ZURICH STOCK EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 5,915.6 points, up 7.92 or 0.13 percent.
MILAN STOCK EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 24,395 points, up 32 or 0.13 percent.
SYDNEY STOCK EXCHANGE: Australian stocks closed down as investors fretted over a potential US interest rate rise and a steep drop in commodities prices. The S&P/ASX 200 index closed 32.6 points, or 0.8 percent, down at 4,233.8.
JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE: Media firm Naspers dragged South African stocks lower on news that its pay-TV channel M-Net would be banned from broadcasting for free, while resource stocks fell on weak commodity prices. The All-share index closed at 13,465.53 points, down 127.64 or 0.94 percent. The All Gold index closed at 1,710.8 points, down 41.08 or 2.34 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 9,840.87 points, down 82.4 or 0.83 percent.