Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
Banks again took pole position, with Deutsche Bank up two percent and Credit Suisse rising one percent, as they said they see big opportunities when the global crunch, which has whacked profits, starts to recede. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index closed up 0.17 percent at a provisional 1,570.95, rising 1.3 percent this week.