Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Friday.
EUROPE STOCK EXCHANGE: European shares plunged as investors dumped equities, notably financials, on fears that efforts by governments and central banks to breathe life into credit markets may not prevent a recession. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed with a loss of 7.6 percent at 851.23 points - its lowest close since July 2, 2003.
The pan-European benchmark fell as much as 9.9 percent earlier in the session and had its worst week on record with a drop of 22 percent, or 238.15 points since last weekend.
FRANKFURT STOCK EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 4544.31 points, down 342.69 or 7.01 percent, shedding 1,252.72 points since last Friday.
PARIS STOCK EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 3176.49 points, down 266.21 or 7.73 percent on the day and ditching 904.26 points on the week.
ZURICH STOCK EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 5347.22 points, down 451.62 or 7.79 percent, diving 1532.6 points over the week.
MILAN STOCK EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 15438 points, down 1081 or 6.54 percent, dropping 4,153 since last Friday.
MELBOURNE STOCK EXCHANGE: Australian shares tumbled 8 percent, the biggest one-day slide since the 1987 stock market crash, as fears of global recession sparked panic selling. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 360.2 points to close at 3,960.7, a drop of 734s on the week, t close below 4,000 since May 2005 and only the second time since 1987 the market has lost over 8 percent at the close.
JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE: South African stocks dropped as global markets dived on fears policymakers are not doing enough to contain the credit crunch, while the rand weakened to the dollar on aversion towards risky assets.
The All-share index closed at 20595.23 points, down 657.06 or 3.09 percent, and lighter on the week by 2,083.02 points. The All Gold index closed at 1898.59 points, up 174.77 or 10.14 percent, rising 285.96 points over the week. The Industrial index closed at 15789.76 points, down 562.5 or 3.44 percent, dropping 1,393.6 points since last weekend.