Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Tuesday.
EUROPE STOCK EXCHANGE: European shares ended with losses as the region's financial stocks suffered following further writedowns from US peer J.P. Morgan. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed 0.33 percent lower at 1,208.89, having traded between 1,202.55 and 1,216.40 points.
FRANKFURT STOCK EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 6585.87 points, down 23.76 or 0.36 percent.
PARIS STOCK EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4518.48 points, down 20.01 or 0.44 percent.
ZURICH STOCK EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 7301.84 points, down 35.89 or 0.49 percent.
MILAN STOCK EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 22512 points, down 95 or 0.42 percent.
SYDNEY STOCK EXCHANGE: Shares firmed 0.55 percent, staging a late turnaround as investors returned to heavyweight mining stocks such as BHP Billiton, encouraged by positive economic news from China. The S&P/ASX 200 index closed up 27.5 points at 5,053.6, extending its rally to a fifth consecutive session.
JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE: South African blue chip stocks dipped, weighed down by falling commodity shares as prices dropped, while an early rand rally ran out of steam. The All-share index closed at 26922.36 points, down 38.59 or 0.14 percent. The All Gold index closed at 1725.84 points, down 66.67 or 3.72 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 19471.59 points, up 99.6 or 0.51 percent.