Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares closed lower as oil prices climbed again and British retailer Boots slipped after saying first-half trading conditions were difficult.
French food group Danone also fell 2 percent on a report citing an analyst note which said the company might buy smaller Dutch rival Numico to bar a rumoured bid from PepsiCo Danone and Numico denied any talks.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index unofficially closed 0.36 percent weaker at 1,224.7 points, easing from a new 40-month high of 1,230.9 struck in early trade.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 5,021.17 points, down 27.57 or 0.55 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4,578.86 points, down 20.77 or 0.45 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 6,860.37 points, down 44.47 or 0.64 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 26,811 points, down 79 or 0.29 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Shares struck a new closing peak as the world's top two miners, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, rallied on record copper prices and energy stock Santos rose on finding a new gas field. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index jumped 44.1 points, or 0.95 percent, to a new peak of 4,671.7.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: Buoyant mining stocks nudged stocks to yet another record high as precious metal prices flirted with recent peaks. The All-share index closed at 16,668.51 points, up 30.13 or 0.18 percent.
The All Gold index closed at 2,124.08 points, up 97.06 or 4.79 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 12,167.72 points, up 29.25 or 0.24 percent.