Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares lost ground, hitting their lowest point so far this year after the European Central Bank reinforced its willingness to raise rates to counter inflation. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares ended the day down 0.85 percent at 1,436.77 points, with banks, oil and chemicals shares among the worst performers.
Alliance & Leicester fell 4 percent, HBOS slipped 4.3 percent and Barclays lost 1.3 percent. Oil dropped $2 a barrel, depressing index heavyweight oil shares. BP fell 0.9 percent, Royal Dutch Shell lost 1.3 percent and Total dropped 1.7 percent.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 7713.09 points, down 69.62 or 0.89 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 5400.43 points, down 34.99 or 0.64 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 8290.78 points, down 49.03 or 0.59 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 28000 points, down 123 or 0.44 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Australian shares dipped 0.15 percent, posting a fourth straight day of declines, as jitters about the outlook for global growth wiped out early gains. The S&P/ASX 200 index ended down 9.0 points at 6,078.7.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South African financial stocks led the bourse lower as investors fretted over the impact of higher domestic interest rates on consumer spending, while the rand was trapped in a range. The All-share index closed at 27903.94 points, down 496.84 or 1.75 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2700.1 points, up 13.09 or 0.49 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 19509.82 points, down 419.89 or 2.11 percent.
KUALA LUMPUR STOCKS EXCHANGE: Malaysia's financial markets were closed on Thursday for a public holiday. Trading will resume on Friday.