Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares recovered in choppy trade from the previous session's sharp decline, lifted by gains in utilities and telecom stocks while merger and acquisition activity moved into focus again.
Bid talk led shares in France's second-largest bank Societe Generale higher amid an otherwise weaker trading financial sector. Traders speculated about a potential bid by HSBC ahead of SocGen's planned capital increase. HSBC declined to comment.
Meanwhile, shares in BHP Billiton fell more than 7 percent after bid target Rio Tinto rejected a sweetened all-share bid from the rival mining group BHP Billiton. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index closed 0.58 percent higher at 1,322.00 points.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 6847.51 points, up 82.26 or 1.22 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4816.43 points, up 39.57 or 0.83 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 7565.45 points, up 48.04 or 0.64 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 25805 points, up 136 or 0.53 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Australian shares fell 3.2 percent on worries about higher domestic interest rates and a recession in the US, while BHP Billiton tumbled after making a hostile $147 billion offer for Rio Tinto. The S&P/ASX 200 index lost 183.5 points to close at 5,609.4, its lowest level since January 24.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South Africa's blue chip Top-40 index closed higher, boosted by miners and industrial shares while the rand firmed slightly. The Top-40 index closed 0.52 percent higher at 25,673.75 points while the broader All-share index ended 0.42 percent higher at 27,881.38 points. The All Gold index closed at 2458.63 points, up 77.22 or 3.24 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 18390.45 points, up 112.84 or 0.62 percent.
SHANGHAI STOCKS EXCHANGE: China's financial and stock markets were closed on Wednesday for the Lunar New Year holiday. Trading will resume on February 13.