Closing stock market indices

Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares closed at their highest level in a week, helped by a crop of upbeat earnings, take-over activity and crude prices around $64 a barrel that underpinned commodity-dependent sectors such as airlines.
Truck makers stood out, with Scania up more than 8 percent after MAN said it wanted to acquire it, while Volvo added 1.4 percent after the Swedish government said it would meet the heads of four state pension funds after recent pressure on the group to boost payouts to shareholders.
A heavy corporate news flow meant investors focused less on the macroeconomic picture. But concern about US growth and monetary policy remained as investors wondered whether a 17 percent dip in crude prices in the past month was more than just a technical correction.
"If lower oil prices are sustained around current levels it could have a major impact on the outlook for faster growth and lower inflation, with major consequences for rate policy intentions ahead," said economist David Brown at Bear Stearns. "If current oil prices are sustained, over the next year it could add up to 0.25 percent onto eurozone growth and shave a similar amount off inflation," Brown added.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index of leading European shares added 0.2 percent to end at 1,369.99 points.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 5,906.12 points, up 32.27 or 0.55 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 5,137.93 points, up 11.96 or 0.23 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 8,215.71 points, up 20.57 or 0.25 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 29,096 points, up 28 or 0.10 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Shares rose 0.86 percent as investors picked up top miner BHP Billiton Ltd/Plc after recent falls, while retailer Coles Myer Ltd scaled a life high on take-over hopes. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 42.8 points to close at 5,017.2.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: MTN, bank and retail shares led stocks higher as investors switched from mining stocks, and Kumba Resources fell on jitters of rising iron ore supply by China. The All-share index closed at 21,318.22 points, up 56.52 or 0.27 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,671.82 points, down 34.1 or 1.26 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 14,528.84 points, up 66.07 or 0.46 percent.