Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday.
EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European stocks ended lower, as news of strong demand for the Federal Reserve's $20 billion auction designed to ease tensions in credit markets failed to boost banking shares. Stocks extended their losses late in the session after Standard & Poor's cut its ratings on US bond insurer ACA Financial Guaranty Corp by 12 notches to "junk" from investment grade as part of actions on six bond insurers.
Energy stocks rose along with crude oil prices after data showed a steeper-than-expected drop in US crude oil inventories. Royal Dutch Shell gained 2.2 percent, and Total added 0.4 percent.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed 0.4 percent lower at 1,482.49 points. Europe's benchmark index is now down a thin 0.04 percent on the year, on track to record its worst yearly performance since 2002.
FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 7837.32 points, down 13.42 or 0.17 percent.
PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 5497.42 points, down 11.95 or 0.22 percent.
ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 8394.96 points, down 72.11 or 0.85 percent.
MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 28948 points, down 198 or 0.68 percent.
SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Australian shares dropped 0.3 percent, falling for a sixth straight session, as Commonwealth Bank of Australia and other lenders fell on worries about the money they have lent to the battered property sector. The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 20.5 points to close at 6,216.4.
JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South African stocks were struck low by unrelenting edginess over the state of the world's economy, which was compounded by hawkish domestic inflation data. The All-share index closed at 28112.89 points, down 413.45 or 1.45 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2238.76 points, down 46 or 2.01 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 19811.48 points, down 262.91 or 1.31 percent.