Closing stock market indices

Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European stocks ended 0.99 percent lower at 1,604.18 points, with bank shares accounting for a quarter of the index's losses.
Credit markets which have fuelled a merger and acquisition boom, a major driver of a four-year equities bull run, remained in focus after Wall Street banks unwound positions in two Bear Stearns hedge funds heavily invested in the riskiest US home loans.