Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares rose ahead of a key US interest rate decision, lifted by merger and acquisition talk, notably involving miner Rio Tinto, and strong earnings from bank BNP Paribas. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index ended with a gain of 0.21 percent at 1,585.01 points, having earlier touched a high of 1,590.81.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 7,475.99 points, up 33.79 or 0.45 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 6,051.63 points, up 17.38 or 0.29 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 9,427.69 points, up 50.61 or 0.54 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 33,944 points, up 171 or 0.51 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Shares rose 0.58 percent to a fresh all-time closing high as a rumour of a pending $100-plus billion take-over bid for Rio Tinto by larger rival BHP Billiton sent shares in both firms to record highs. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index went up 36.6 points to a new record closing high of 6,341.0.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: The mining sector led a recovery of stocks as investors sought bargains amid talk that index heavyweight BHP Billiton could bid for rival Rio Tinto. The All-share index closed at 28,354.41 points, up 192.63 or 0.68 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,768.17 points, up 0.93 or 0.03 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 19,694.43 points, down 0.14.