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Closing stock market indices

LONDON: Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.

FRANKFURT - The stock market closed at a new high pulled from morning weakness into positive ground by new merger rumours about the banking sector and strong gains in merging utilities Viag AG and Veba AG. The benchmark DAX index of 30 bluechip stocks finished 80.16 or 1.05 percent stronger at 7,709.27 points -- its fifth record high close in the last six trading days.

PARIS - French blue-chips turned red again, after an unsettled session in which the CAC-40 zig-zagged around key support at 6,200. The benchmark index closed down 64.08 or 1.02 percent at 6,207.52.

ZURICH - The Swiss blue-chip index ended lower for the fifth straight session despite gains in UBS and Nestle. The Swiss Market Index gave up 33.7 points or 0.48 percent to close at 6,998.0.

MILAN - Stock indices closed at record highs in a market supported by gains in financial stocks as well as a continuing rally in Internet-related shares. The all-share Mibtel index ended 1.46 percent or 451 points higher at 31,423, after touching new intra-day high of 31,490.

AMSTERDAM - Shares ended slightly weaker, but off their morning lows as investors switched money into some neglected stocks. The blue chip AEX index finished down 5.86 or 0.88 percent at 661.29 points after touching a low of 652.88.

SYDNEY - The share market sailed to a record closing high on the back of a fresh wave of buying in media giant News Corp. The benchmark All Ordinaries Index closed up 38.5 points or 1.23 percent at 3,172.5.

JOHANNESBURG - Shares ended sharply lower, rattled by hefty losses on Wall Street on Wednesday and a weaker rand. The benchmark All Share index ended 118.4 points or 1.32 percent lower at 8,826.4, breaking a three-day winning streak. The gold index closed down 3.7 points or 0.29 percent to 1,259.4, while the Industrial index closed at 9,816.4 points, down 155.3 or 1.56 percent.-RReuters