Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.
EUROPE STCKS EXCHANGE: European shares fell across the board, suffering their biggest daily drop in five months as a worsening environment for financing take-overs and worries about US housing sparked global risk aversion.
Banks were among the biggest drag on the index with Royal Bank of Scotland Credit Suisse and UBS down between 3.0 and 3.4 percent. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index closed 2.8 percent lower at 1,527.8, the lowest since April 2, and down for the third day in a row.
FRANKFURT STCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 7,508.96 points, down 183.59 or 2.39 percent.
PARIS STCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 5,675.05 points, down 162.06 or 2.78 percent.
ZURICH STCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 8,706.4 points, down 216.31 or 2.42 percent.
MILAN STCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 31,235 points, down 642 or 2.01 percent.
SYDNEY STCKS EXCHANGE: Australian shares fell 1.3 percent to a one-month closing low, as worries over a rise in domestic interest rates next month pressured rate-sensitive banks, while mining firms fell on weaker metal prices. The S&P/ASX 200 index dropped 82 points to 6,258.5.
JOHANNESBURG STCKS EXCHANGE: South African stocks slid to an almost four-week closing low as softer metal prices hit mining stocks and global jitters about the US housing market and high oil prices hurt broader sentiment. The All-share index closed at 28,585.84 points, down 519.43 or 1.78 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,632.01 points, down 11.63 or 0.44 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 19,878.35 points, down 232.8 or 1.16 percent.