Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares rallied, after six days of declines, as banks and mining stocks rose, while the bid from Belgian brewer InBev for US rival Anheuser-Busch boosted beverage stocks. Banks bounced back from recent losses as an index of European banks staged its first rise since June 3, with leaders including Royal Bank of Scotland which rose 7.9 percent.
BNP Paribas and Spain's BBVA rose 2.7 and 3.1 percent, respectively. A reading of US retail sales that beat forecasts helped support the broader market in afternoon trade as it suggested US consumer spending:- a key driver of economic growth:- was holding up better than expected in spite of record-high energy prices and the ongoing credit crunch. The FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 0.9 percent to 1,261.11 points, making this its first rise since June 3.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 6,714.52 points, up 64.26 or 0.97 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4,672.3 points, up 11.39 or 0.24 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 7,222.79 points, up 55.49 or 0.77 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 23,918 points, up 90 or 0.38 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Shares fell 2.53 percent to a two-month low, with financial firms such as National Australia Bank leading declines on concerns about more credit-related losses and as inflation worries grew. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index fell 138.1 points to 5,329.2, a level not seen since April 14 and taking losses since the start of the year to 15.9 percent.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South Africa's rand and bonds yields fell after the central bank surprised markets with a smaller-than expected 50 basis points rate rise, but stock indices jumped on the move. The All-share index closed at 31,033.3 points, up 393.35 or 1.28 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,290.63 points, down 8.81 or 0.38 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 20,929.25 points, up 356.64 or 1.73 percent.