Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European share prices rose as good news from financials Munich Re and Fortis encouraged investors to look past mixed US data and strong oil prices for now.
Dutch food retailer Ahold gained 4.8 percent to six euros after the company's Chief Executive Anders Moberg told Reuters he was very confident of raising 2.5 billion euros from asset sales to pay down debt after its profit overstatement scandal.
But French engineering group Alstom slid 8.5 percent to 1.08 euros after France accepted conditions to win EU backing for a 2.5-billion-euro state bail-out of the ailing maker of TGV high speed trains and cruise ships.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 3867.52 points, up 39.45 or 1.03 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 3659.92 points, up 49.39 or 1.37 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 5671.7 points, up 24.8 or 0.44 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 20509 points, up 204 or one percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Healthy blue chip gains pushed Australia's benchmark index to one-month highs after lower oil prices helped nudge up major markets around the world.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index added 29.7 points or 0.9 percent to close at 3425.2.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South African shares stepped higher as buying continued in resource stocks, benefiting from steady bullion prices, and inflation figures that allayed fears of an early rate rise.
The All-share index ended up 1.48 percent or 148.72 points to 10,200.57, the Gold index closed up 0.86 percent or 16.40 points to 1923.08, while the Industrial index ended up 0.72 percent or 51.51 points to 7242.39.
SEOUL STOCKS EXCHANGE: South Korea's stock market is closed on Wednesday for a public holiday and will reopen on Thursday.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) ended down 1.95 percent at 784.06 points on Tuesday.
HONG KONG STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Hong Kong stock market is closed for the Buddah's Birthday Public Holiday.
On Tuesday the benchmark Hang Seng Index ended up 0.25 percent or 29.59 points to 11,692.56.