Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Tuesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: A sharp retreat in oil prices, a report of higher-than-expected US consumer confidence and signs of fresh consolidation in the telecoms sector helped European shares snap a two-session losing streak.
Royal Dutch/Shell accounted for a huge chunk of European gains, up 3.5 percent despite a dip in oil prices to below $60 a barrel as its shareholders approved the Anglo-Dutch major oil company's plans to unify its dual-ownership structure.
The corporate unification is expected to help streamline Shell's management structure, whose complexity was blamed for a damaging oil reserves overbooking scandal last year.
Energy rivals BP and Total gained 1.9 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively, as the sector got an extra fillip from an industry upgrade from Morgan Stanley. The FTSEurofirst 300 index ended 0.86 percent stronger at 1,140.64 points - 1 percent below last Thursday's three-year peak of 1,151.74.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 4,557.46 points, up 33.64 or 0.74 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4,194.33 points, up 36.65 or 0.88 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 6,208.56 points, up 17.47 or 0.28 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 24,477 points, up 197 or 0.81 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: The share market snapped a six-day losing streak, spearheaded by gains in major resource and banking stocks, as investors anticipated that record oil prices could curb further interest rate rises. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index gained 39.6 points, or 0.94 percent, to close at 4,270.8.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: Stocks gained marginally following world markets while oil prices boosted producers Sasol and BHP Billiton, but the gold index fell on the weaker bullion price. The All-share index closed at 14,065.84 points, up 17.86 or 0.13 percent.
The All Gold index closed at 1,689.09 points, down 21.99 or 1.29 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 10,303.91 points, down 16.64 or 0.16 percent.