Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Tuesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European stocks advanced, supported by positive telecom, energy and pharma shares, but 2008 was on track for one of the worst years in history. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index closed 1.74 percent higher at 824.47 points, but the index is set to post a loss of about 46 percent in 2008.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 4810.2 points, up 105.34 or 2.24 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 3217.13 points, up 86.41 or 2.76 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 5534.53 points, up 69.57 or 1.27 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 15096 points, up 198 or 1.33 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Australian shares rose 0.9 percent to a near three-week closing peak as firmer copper prices boosted commodity firms such as BHP Billiton, but remain on course for the worst ever annual drop. The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 33.1 points to 3,654.2, after rising 1.1 percent the previous day. The index is down about 42 percent this year, its worst annual performance since the index was created in March 2000.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South Africa's rand ignored poor trade data and notched up a second day of strong gains as the dollar dipped, while local stocks edged up, tracking global markets. The All-share index closed at 21348.45 points, up 110.86 or 0.52 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2212.45 points, down 57.31 or 2.52 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 16967.06 points, up 226.92 or 1.36 percent.