Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.
EUROPEAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares ended the year higher, making their best annual performance since 1999, with miners tracking firmer metal prices. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of leading European shares closed up 0.3 percent at 1,045.81 points and recorded an annual gain of about 25.7 percent this year.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The German markets were closed today. On Wednesday, the DAX index ended at 5,957.43 points, down 54.12 or 0.90 percent, a yearly rise of 1,147.23 points and over the week the index was flat.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 3,936.33 points, up 0.83 or 0.02 percent, up 718.36 points over the last twelve months and 23.6 on the week.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market was closed today, On Wednesday, the index closed at 6,545.91 points, down 62.61 or 0.95 percent, an increase over the year of 1,011.38 points but down on the week by 34.07 points.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: Italian markets were closed today. On Wednesday the FT IT All Share index closed at 23,652.86 points, down 106.47 or 0.45 percent but a rise on the week of 166.71 points.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Stocks rose by 31 percent in 2009, their best yearly gain since 1993, as the nation's commodity-driven economy steered clear of the worst of the global financial crisis. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index ended a shortened New Year's Eve trading session up 37.3 points at 4,870.6, led higher by miners and banks in light trading. A rise over the year of 1,148.3 points. On the week, the index gained 79.7.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: The rand gave up some ground against the dollar but was on course to end the year up nearly 30 percent against the greenback, one of the best performances among emerging market currencies. Domestic stocks closed the year higher as an improvement in investors' hopes for the recovery of the world economy boosted stocks globally.
The All-share index closed at 27,666.45 points, up 191.2 or 0.70 percent, over the last 12 months the index gained 6,157.25 points, 86.23 points up on the week. The All Gold index closed at 2,410.32 points, up 47.98 or 2.03 percent, an increase of 160.38 on the year, but down 38.88 over the week. The Industrial index closed at 21,617.21 points, up 166.12 or 0.77 percent, a hike of 4,690.27 points on the year and 128.23 points over the week.