Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
EUROPE: European shares posted their biggest daily points loss since August 2004 on inflation fears, while a downbeat report from food group Danone fuelled worries about earnings.
Miners were among the biggest losers, with Rio Tinto and Anglo American rattled by a profit warning from Australia's Newcrest Mining and fresh worries that a two-year bull market could come to an end. Heavily-weighted energy stocks added to market woes.
Royal Dutch Shell and Total fell in step with oil prices after US inventory data showed that high energy prices were continuing to prompt consumers to cut back on fuel. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index shed 1.66 percent or 19.76 points to end at 1,172.70 points, a closing low last seen on August 30, 2005
FRANKFURT: The DAX index ended at 4845.98 points, down 101.2 or 2.05 percent.
PARIS: The CAC-40 index closed at 4375.09 points, down 86.05 or 1.93 percent.
ZURICH: The Swiss market index closed at 6820.43 points, down 125.57 or 1.81 percent.
MILAN: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 24758 points, down 520 or 2.06 percent.
SYDNEY: Australian shares fell to their lowest level in 11 weeks, led by heavyweight banks and export-driven mining stocks, tracking weakness on Wall Street after US stocks were hit by fresh inflation worries. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index closed down 82.1 points, or 1.84 percent, to 4,377.2.
JOHANNESBURG: South African stocks tumbled to their lowest levels in seven weeks, pressured by inflation worries overseas and soft metals prices. The All-share index closed at 15539.6 points, down 287.71 or 1.82 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2052.18 points, down 90.14 or 4.21 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 11247.69 points, down 187.89 or 1.64 percent.