Stock Market

LONDON (March 03 2010): Major stock markets outside the United States ended on Tuesday.

EUROPE STOCKS EXCHANGE: European shares hit a near six-week closing high, with HSBC rebounding and miners supported by firm metals prices, offsetting falls in Prudential after it agreed to buy AIG's Asian insurance arm.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed 0.8 percent higher at 1,027.29 points, hitting its highest closing level since January 21. Banks were among the biggest gainers, with heavyweight HSBC up 2.7 percent, after sharp falls in the previous session following the release of its results.

FRANKFURT STOCKS EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 5,776.56 points, up 63.05 or 1.10 percent.

PARIS STOCKS EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 3,811.92 points, up 42.38 or 1.12 percent.

ZURICH STOCKS EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 6,820.04 points, up 28.56 or 0.42 percent.

MILAN STOCKS EXCHANGE: The FT IT All Share index closed at 21,965.82 points, up 125.58 or 0.57 percent.

SYDNEY STOCKS EXCHANGE: Stocks rose 0.33 percent, taking gains to three straight days as the market built on Wall Street's rises, but the central bank's interest rate hike limited the upside. The S&P/ASX 200 index climbed 15.37 points at 4,701.90. It rose 48.8 points on Monday.

JOHANNESBURG STOCKS EXCHANGE: South Africa's rand firmed against the dollar, partly lifted by expectations of foreign currency inflows from an anticipated eurobond issue, while stocks notched a third day of gains, helped by higher metals prices. The All-share index closed at 27,371.92 points, up 345.9 or 1.28 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,214.75 points, up 47.55 or 2.19 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 21,854.82 points, up 287.78 or 1.33 percent.