Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
EUROPE STOCK EXCHANGE: European shares ended at highs last seen in May 2002 as robust earnings and broker upgrades lifted banks, while retreating oil prices eased worries of squeezed profits at companies such as carmakers and airlines. Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca also stood out as researchers said its experimental blood-thinner outperformed Plavix, the world's fourth-biggest selling drug with annual sales of more than $5 billion, in an early clinical study.
Shares in Sanofi-Aventis, which sells Plavix with Bristol-Myers Squibb, fell 1 percent on the news. The pan-European FTSEurofirst index of 300 blue chips added 0.3 percent to end at 1,205.03 points, with market gains slightly capped by heavily-weighted oil majors as a new retreat in oil prices from recent record highs prompted some investors to lock in their profits on energy issues.
FRANKFURT STOCK EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 4,988.14 points, up 19.86 or 0.40 percent.
PARIS STOCK EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4,486.19 points, up 13.64 or 0.30 percent.
ZURICH STOCK EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 6,684.69 points, up 74.94 or 1.13 percent.
MILAN STOCK EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 26,126 points, up 62 or 0.24 percent.
SYDNEY STOCK EXCHANGE: Shares firmed as oil prices eased and data showed the economy grew at a brisk pace in the June quarter, while hospital operator Healthscope rallied on acquisition plans. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index gained 30.0 points, or 0.67 percent, to 4,492.0.
JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE: South Africa's FirstRand led a rise in banking, retail and industrial shares, lifting the country's bourse to a record high close driven by a lower oil price and healthy retail sales figures. The all-share index added 95.38 or 0.6 percent to 15,939.88 points - an all-time closing high. The All Gold index closed at 1,689.63, down 1.01 points or 0.06 percent. The Industrial index closed up 83.06 points, or 0.71 percent at 11,862.59.