Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European stocks rose, adding to the previous session's lofty gains, as renewed consolidation talk propelled mining stocks higher. But jittery investors continued to fret about banks' exposure to the credit crunch. Barclays dropped 3.1 percent and HSBC fell 1.1 percent.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed 0.4 percent higher at 1,508.22 points. It had gained 2.7 percent on Wednesday as hopes of a US interest rate cut helped banking stocks rally.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 7765.19 points, up 41.53 or 0.54 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 5598.11 points, up 36.9 or 0.66 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 8734.47 points, up 83.65 or 0.97 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 29540 points, up 70 or 0.24 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Australian shares rose 1.2 percent as US-exposed firms such as Westfield Group gained on growing hopes of an interest rate cut in the US, while stronger base metal prices lifted miners. The S&P/ASX 200 index ended up 74.4 points at 6,444.5.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South African markets, undeterred by strong domestic inflation data, joined in a world-wide rally as investors eyed possible interest rate cuts in the United States. The All-share index closed at 29925.76 points, up 515.69 or 1.75 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2559.32 points, up 29.28 or 1.16 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 20959.05 points, up 288.82 or 1.40 percent.