Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Monday.
Fresh merger talks lifted Italian banking stocks such as Capitalia amid wider speculation that a centre-left government would pave the way for more consolidation in the fragmented sector.
Take-over news also underpinned Britain's Compass, which gained 4 percent after agreeing to sell its travel concession business, but Switzerland's Serono plunged 8.4 percent after calling off a search for a buyer and launching a quest for acquisitions instead. The pan-European FTSEurofirst index of 300 leading shares ended 0.54 percent higher at 1,383.11 points.
The All-Share index gained 0.61 percent, or 125.89 points, to end at 20,725.80 points, a new closing high. The All Gold index closed at 2818.17 points, down 15.58 or 0.55 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 14352.26 points, down 14.25 or 0.10 percent.