Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Friday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares ended at their highest in more than a week, led higher by miners, as strong corporate results and encouraging economic data improved market sentiment. Investors traded cautiously throughout the session ahead of results of stress tests for 91 European banks, which came in after the close of the European market.
Organisers of the tests said seven banks would not be strong enough to withstand another recession and would face a total capital shortfall of 3.5 billion euros ($4.5 billion). "This is not surprising that most of them have passed - the results are in line with expectations," said Philippe Gijsels, head of research at BNP Paribas Fortis Global Markets. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed 0.5 percent higher at 1,044.31 points, the highest close since July 14.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 6,166.34 points, up 24.19 or 0.39 percent, a rise of 126.07 points on the week.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 3,607.05 points, up 6.48 or 0.18 percent. The index gained 106.89 over the week.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 6,201.25 points, up 7.07 or 0.11 percent, 16.88 points higher on the week.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The FT IT All Share index closed at 21,079.44 points, down 82.99 or 0.39 percent, up 416.74 since July 16.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Stocks closed 1.91 percent higher, led by miners and banks following a strong lead from Wall Street and optimism about European bank stress results. The index ended the session 83.7 points higher at 4,458.4, following a 0.9 percent decline in the previous session. The index has gained 35.67 points since last weekend.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: Stocks edged higher in cautious trade ahead of European stress test results while the rand hovered near three-month highs against the dollar after the central bank decided not to cut rates the previous day. The All-share index closed at 28,424.17 points, up 150.14 or 0.53 percent. The index added 894.34 points during the week. The All Gold index closed at 2,348.9 points, down 22.59 or 0.95 percent, down 56.28 points from a week ago. The Industrial index closed at 23,242.96 points, up 100.81 or 0.44 percent, up 562.8 points since last weekend.