Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Monday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: Solid earnings, fresh signs of merger activity and a rally on Wall Street helped European shares end at their highest level in nearly two weeks, while a small retreat in oil prices also helped sentiment.
Philips was among the region's biggest gainers, up 6.6 percent as sources close to the matter said some of the world's biggest private equity firms would submit final bids this week for the Dutch group's semiconductor unit in a bid battle that could reach 8 billion euros ($10 billion).
News that money management firm Amvescap was buying W.L. Ross & Co LLC and that France Telecom would sell 54 percent of directory unit PagesJaunes for 3.3 billion euros also helped investors brush aside worries about inflation and interest rates that have bedevilled markets in recent weeks. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index gained 1.86 percent to close at 1,314.30 points - up nearly 7 percent from a seven-month low, hit a month ago.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 5578.05 points, up 127.04 or 2.33 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4914.93 points, up 96.38 or 2.00 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 7780.28 points, up 162.14 or 2.13 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 27680 points, up 374 or 1.37 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Shares fell 0.53 percent, with broad market sentiment dented by the hostilities in the Middle East, while investors sold miners such as BHP Billiton after last week's fall in copper prices. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index shed 26.2 points to 4,934.4 falling for a second straight session.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South African stocks strode higher as brewing giant SABMiller jumped ahead of an annual general meeting this week, helping to offset sharply lower gold mining stocks. The All-share index closed at 20358.87 points, up 179.22 or 0.89 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2904.53 points, down 113.82 or 3.77 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 13443.38 points, up 342.72 or 2.62 percent.
MANILA STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Philippine financial markets were closed on Monday due to bad weather, the Philippine stock exchange announced. Trading is expected to resume on Tuesday.