Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European equities hit a three-week closing low after recording the best quarterly gains in a decade a day earlier, with a slew of poor data reigniting worries about a slower-than-expected economic recovery. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares provisionally closed 1.5 percent lower at 982.21 points.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 5554.55 points, down 120.61 or 2.13 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 3720.77 points, down 74.64 or 1.97 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 6255.17 points, down 68.01 or 1.08 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The FT IT All Share index closed at 23531.7 points, down 408 or 1.70 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Australian shares lost 0.9 percent, as the market digested strong recent gains which saw the benchmark index logging its biggest ever quarterly gain in the three months to September. The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 0.9 percent to 4,701.1 points, adding to Wednesday's 0.2 percent fall.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South Africa's rand fell to a four-week low against the dollar, still reeling from the impact of the collapse of the MTN/Bharti deal while higher MTN and gold shares boosted the bourse. The All-share index closed at 24966.87 points, up 56.02 or 0.22 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2509.01 points, up 69.27 or 2.84 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 20051.76 points, up 253.19 or 1.28 percent.
HONG KONG STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Hong Kong stock market was closed for a public holiday, National Day. On Wednesday the index fell 0.28 percent, or 57.92 points, to 20,955.25.
SHANGHAI STOCKS EXCHANGE: China's stock, money, foreign exchange and commodity futures markets are closed from October 1 to 8 for the National Day holidays. Trading will resume on Friday, October 9.