Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares touched a three-year high with ABN Amro gaining as it looked less likely to spend cash to buy Italian bank Antonveneta, while Philips dipped on a warning of weaker demand. Shares generally slipped in late trade as news of a larger than expected drop in US domestic oil supplies drove oil futures higher, rekindling concern about rising fuel costs and a hit on company earnings and consumer spending.
The drawdown pulled the FTSEurofirst 300 index 0.4 percent lower to 1,132.26 points after peaking at 1,139.67.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 4,548.42 points, down 43.27 or 0.94 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4,184.36 points, down 13.38 or 0.32 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 6,257.14 points, down 11.28 or 0.18 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 24,825 points, down 34 or 0.14 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Stocks rose 0.42 percent for a third day of gains, driven by major miners, although the improvement was capped as News Corp and the oil and gas producers weighed on the index. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index rose 17.7 points to a fresh two-and-a-half month high of 4,246.5.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South Africa's Johannesburg Securities Exchange will close at 1800 GMT after halting for more than two hours due to technical problems, the JSE said. The market, which reopened at 1510 GMT after being halted for more than two hours, would close at 1800 GMT after a futures close-out, a spokeswoman said.