Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European stocks ended well below 6-year highs, tracking weakness in US shares, with the UK's FTSE 100 index leading losers, hit by a fall in BP and Royal Dutch Shell on sluggish oil prices. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index finished 0.34 percent lower at 1,522.87.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 6719.58 points, down 28.79 or 0.43 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 5609.2 points, down 28.88 or 0.51 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 9134.1 points, down 19 or 0.21 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 32605 points, down 58 or 0.18 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Australian shares edged higher to set a fourth straight record closing peak, while property investor Multiplex jumped on news of a possible take-over approach. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index rose just 1.1 points, or 0.02 percent, to close 5,769.9.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: Glittering mining stocks pushed South African shares higher thanks to strong precious metal prices and Barloworld leapt after it unveiled plans to spin off assets. The All-share index closed at 25572.39 points, up 128.11 or 0.50 percent.
The All Gold index closed at 2877.96 points, up 42.87 or 1.51 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 18153.82 points, up 83.91 or 0.46 percent.