Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCAHNGE: European shares fell after downbeat inflation and manufacturing data from the United States pointed to sluggish growth, overshadowing optimism for corporate results after strong earnings from J.P. Morgan.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed 1.1 percent lower at 1,033.56 points, posting its biggest one-day percentage fall since July 1. Successive gains over six sessions helped the FTSEurofirst 300 index to rise 8 percent in the last 1-1/2 weeks before it closed a touch lower on Wednesday.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCAHNGE: The DAX index ended at 6,149.36 points, down 60.4 or 0.97 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCAHNGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 3,581.82 points, down 51.16 or 1.41 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCAHNGE: The Swiss market index closed at 6,291.07 points, down 41.21 or 0.65 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCAHNGE: The FT IT All Share index closed at 20,991.71 points, down 311.5 or 1.46 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCAHNGE: Australian stocks fell 0.4 percent, on persistent worries about a US economic slowdown though data showing only a mild cooling of the Chinese economy provided some relief. The S&P/ASX 200 index slipped 19.8 points to 4,442.55.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCAHNGE: The rand was slightly weaker against the dollar but off earlier lows, partly helped by news that Japan's Nippon Telegraph and Telephone would acquire South-Africa's Dimension Data. The All-share index closed at 27,474.68 points, up 31.01 or 0.11 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,460.21 points, down 4.52 or 0.18 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 22,500.56 points, up 216.38 or 0.97 percent.