Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXHANGE: European shares hit their lowest close in 16 months in choppy trade as fears the US economy might slide into recession clouded investor sentiment, sending financials and oil majors lower. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index ended 0.8 percent lower at 1,383.16 points.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXHANGE: The DAX index ended at 7471.57 points, down 94.81 or 1.25 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 5225.39 points, down 25.43 or 0.48 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 7847.52 points, down 126.4 or 1.59 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 27462 points, down 89 or 0.32 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXHANGE: Australian shares tumbled 2.5 percent, extending a run of declines to an eighth session and the longest in over seven years, as worries about US consumer spending and a big loss for Citigroup sent investors scurrying out of risky stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 index lost 150.3 points to close at 5,809.7, after falling 0.3 percent on Tuesday.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXHANGE: South Africa's bourse fell 2.6 percent and the rand lost more than 1.5 percent to the dollar as fears of a US recession mounted, knocking global stocks and metal prices. The All-share index closed at 26911.5 points, down 724.47 or 2.62 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2623.07 points, down 94.76 or 3.49 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 18201.62 points, down 495.71 or 2.65 percent.