Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Tuesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European stocks ended lower after a stronger-than-expected rise in US producer prices aggravated inflation worries, while a crude oil price under $64 a barrel weighed on the oil and gas producing sector.
European equity markets had initially inched upwards, helped by quarterly earnings from Swiss drugmaker Novartis, which beat expectations and rose 4.3 percent to become the top European gainer, pulling the pharmaceutical sector higher.
News that US producer prices shot up by an unexpectedly large 1.9 percent last month, the biggest gain in more than 15 years, injected fresh concern about rising inflation and the future pace of interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 4,947.18 points, down 31.65 or 0.64 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4,461.14 points, down 28.07 or 0.63 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 6,946 points, up 62.58 or 0.91 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 25,278 points, down 261 or 1.02 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Australian shares gained as the world's top two miners, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, rallied on the back of higher copper prices. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index rose 34.0 points, or 0.77 percent, to close at 4,459.3.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South African stocks slipped after a key measure of US inflation rose more than expected and some retailers fell after disappointing results from supermarket group Pick 'n Pay. The All-share index closed at 15,827.31 points, down 99.29 or 0.62 percent.
The All Gold index closed at 2,142.32 points, up 30.85 or 1.46 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 11,435.58 points, down 188.08 or 1.62 percent.