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Closing stock market indices

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

FRANKFURT - Germany's DAX share index closed more than one percent higher as technology stocks continued to draw buyers and the Nasdaq remained in record high territory as European markets closed.

The DAX finished up 98.15 points or 1.28 percent at 7,738.68 points, up 164.90 over the week.

PARIS - The Paris Bourse scored strong gains for the third straight day as investors continued to pile into new economy growth stocks.

The benchmark CAC-40 index ended up 109.86 or 1.81 percent to 6,188.64, up 125.92 from last week.

ZURICH - The Swiss bourse closed one percent lower as blue-chips, with the exception of Nestle, extended their weak performance while Internet-related and high-tech stocks continued to rise.

The blue-chip Swiss Market Index was down 54.7 points or 0.79 percent at 6,989.1 down 57.9 from February 18.

MILAN - Italy's Mibtel all-share stock index closed at a record intra-day high, boosted by telecoms and selected banks which gained as much as six or eight percent. The all-share Mibtel closed up 984 points or 3.02 percent at a record 33,577, rising 1.382 points since last Friday.

AMSTERDAM - Dutch shares rallied near the close to end higher following a mostly upbeat day. Telecoms and technology shares topped the AEX index while publishers, finance and cyclicals floundered.

The AEX index ended up 9.01 or 1.38 percent at 662.56 points, up 7.39 over the week.

SYDNEY - Investors poured money back into many of Australia's blue chip stocks, spurred by a fifth straight day of strength in the Australian bond market.

The benchmark All Ordinaries Index closed up 16.8 points or about 0.5 percent at 3,123.7, and was just up by 3.6 points on last Friday's close of 3120.1.

JOHANNESBURG - The upgrading of South Africa's credit rating by Standard & Poor's to investment grade dominated the day's stock exchange activity.

The benchmark All-Share index closed down 112.1 points or 1.35 percent at 8,161.4, dropping 382.9 since last Friday. Industrials ended flat at 9,592.2, rising a mere 0.3 points in the session but falling on the week 58.5. The Gold index tumbled 2.55 percent, or 31.7 points, to 1,213.2, down 100.3 points over the week.-Reuters