Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares ended slightly lower as edginess about the impact of credit market turmoil on financial stocks persisted, but big gains in Nestle and Bayer and early strength on Wall Street limited losses. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares ended 0.19 percent lower at 1,491.79 points.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 7445.9 points, up 20.83 or 0.28 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 5442.72 points, down 35.94 or 0.66 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 8661.59 points, up 112.26 or 1.31 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 30597 points, down 197 or 0.64 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Australian shares slid 2.96 percent to a five-month low as the fresh signs of trouble in credit markets sent financial firms such as Macquarie Bank lower, while a tumble in metal prices hit miners. The S&P/ASX 200 index dropped 176.8 points to 5,788.0.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South African equities, led by global stocks still reeling from credit market jitters, closed weaker, with gold mining stocks such as Harmony bucking the downward trend. The All-share index closed at 27091.13 points, down 278.59 or 1.02 percent.
The All Gold index closed at 2288.06 points, up 31.73 or 1.41 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 19059.48 points, down 245.26 or 1.27 percent.
MUMBAI STOCKS EXCHANGE: India's financial markets were closed on Wednesday for a public holiday. Trading will resume on Thursday.
SEOUL STOCKS EXCHANGE: South Korean financial markets were closed on Wednesday for a public holiday. Trading resumes on Thursday.