Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.
EUROPEAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares closed lower as a relief rally for banks came to an abrupt end, drugmaker AstraZeneca's results failed to impress, and further evidence of worldwide economic weakness emerged. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares fell 1.8 percent to close at 796.49, following three days of gains.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 4,428.11 points, down 90.61 or 2.01 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 3,009.75 points, down 66.26 or 2.15 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 5,272.9 points, down 145.03 or 2.68 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 14,361 points, down 147 or 1.01 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Shares rose 0.88 percent as financial stocks gained on hopes that the Obama administration's plan to stimulate US economy would ease the logjam in credit markets and revive global growth. The S&P/ASX 200 index added 30.7 points to close at 3,526.2, adding to Wednesday's 3.0 percent rise.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: Blue chip stocks ended a three-day winning run, weighed down by weaker resource shares, although Gold Fields rose after it posted higher second-quarter earnings.
The All-share index closed at 20,581.77 points, down 446.77 or 2.12 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,531.01 points, up 122.51 or 5.09 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 16,040.37 points, down 276.72 or 1.70 percent.