Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Tuesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANMGE: European shares edged higher, led by banks though investors remained wary of the debt problems in Greece and other peripheral euro zone economies. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of leading European shares closed 0.2 percent higher at 980.96 points in choppy trade, after rising 0.7 percent on Monday to snap a three-day losing run. The index has fallen 6.2 percent so far this year but is still up 52 percent from a low hit in early March 2009.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANMGE: The DAX index ended at 5,498.26 points, up 13.41 or 0.24 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANMGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 3,612.76 points, up 5.49 or 0.15 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANMGE: The Swiss market index closed at 6,314.75 points, down 32.39 or 0.51 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANMGE: The FT IT All Share index closed at 21,342.01 points, down 83.44 or 0.39 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANMGE: Australian stocks fell 0.4 percent, led down by banks following their US peers, but a positive finish from top miner BHP Billiton, saved the market from a bigger slide. The S&P/ASX 200 index lost 16.2 points to close at 4505.0, erasing Monday's small gain.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANMGE: South African stocks rallied for a second day running, tracking global shares higher, while the rand also firmed on risk-taking, although gains were capped by importer demand for dollars. The All-share index closed at 26,455.1 points, up 413.14 or 1.59 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,224.79 points, up 16.55 or 0.75 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 20,775.22 points, up 161.58 or 0.78 percent.