Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Tuesday.
EUROPEAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares hit their highest closing since October after better-than-expected US house prices and consumer confidence data lifted investor spirits, with oils and banks rebounding from earlier losses.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed up 0.4 percent at 978.76 points, rising for the fourth consecutive day, after falling to a low of 967.98 points earlier in the session. The index, which plunged 45 percent in 2008, is still up 17 percent this year and has surged 51 percent from a record low in March.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 5,557.09 points, up 37.34 or 0.68 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 3,680.61 points, up 28.44 or 0.78 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 6,200.85 points, up 6.46 or 0.10 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The FT IT All Share index closed at 22,928.67 points, up 114.05 or 0.50 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Australian stocks fell 0.5 percent as investors took some profits after the previous session's sharp rally, with Wesfarmers shares rattled by news of tougher competition for its hardware stores. The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 20.3 points to 4,405.8.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South Africa's rand hit a three-week high against the dollar tracking higher global markets while local stocks snapped a five-day winning streak on miners. The All-share index closed at 25,186.1 points, down 88.59 or 0.35 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,343.68 points, up 26.32 or 1.14 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 19,546.27 points, down 139.34 or 0.71 percent.