Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Monday.
EUROPE STOCK EXCHANGE: European stocks kicked off the second quarter on a high note as a raft of merger deals led by Alcatel's $13-billion take-over of Lucent raised expectations of more value creation for market investors. Germany's Continental also joined in the M&A wave as it agreed to pay $1 billion to acquire Motorola's global automotive electronics business - a purchase price several analysts deemed reasonable.
The stock added 2.3 percent. Elsewhere, copper prices at new record highs underpinned heavily-weighted mining stocks - with BHP Billiton further buoyed by news of a larger share buyback than expected - while oil prices at two-month peaks lifted energy stocks.
FRANKFURT STOCK EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 6,024.05 points, up 53.97 or 0.90 percent.
PARIS STOCK EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 5,255.26 points, up 34.41 or 0.66 percent.
ZURICH STOCK EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 8,078.52 points, up 55.22 or 0.69 percent.
MILAN STOCK EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 29,603 points, up 294 or 1.00 percent.
SYDNEY STOCK EXCHANGE: Australian shares jumped to a fourth straight record close, as the world's top miner BHP Billiton set a new life-high after buying back more shares than previously announced. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index jumped 50.8 points, or 0.99 percent, to 5,180.5.
JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE: Another leap in metals prices hurdled the South African stock market to a fresh peak, as mining giant BHP Billiton also cheered investors with a hefty share buyback. The All-share index closed at 20,711.75 points, up 360.01 or 1.77 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,939.78 points, up 68.6 or 2.39 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 14,493.35 points, up 140.12 or 0.98 percent.