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Closing stock market indices

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

LONDON - London's leading shares hit fresh 14-week closing lows ahead of an expected UK interest rate rise later in the week and wider equity market weakness in Europe and the United States.

The FTSE 100 index ended 66.4 points or 1.1 percent lower at 6,118.6 points.

FRANKFURT - The German DAX index closed almost 2 pct down as investors took profits in telecoms stocks after last week's record surge on the German stock market driven by Vodafone's takeover of Mannesmann.

The DAX ended down 148.29 points or 1.99 percent at 7,296.32.

PARIS - French shares ended lower after four consecutive sessions of gains, leaving investors unsure whether the retreat from a fresh record signalled the start of a serious consolidation. The benchmark CAC-40 index closed down 1.15 percent at 6,203.58 points.

ZURICH - Swiss shares ended a bit weaker as a rise in pharmaceutical stocks was offset by a slump in engineering and technology group ABB Ltd.

The blue chip Swiss Market Index (SMI) ended down 17.4 points at 7,131.3 points.

MILAN - Italian shares closed lower as a soft opening for the Dow on Wall Street knocked the wind out of European stock marekts.

The All-share Mibtel index ended down 0.78 percent at 30,065.

AMSTERDAM - The Dutch blue chip index edged lower, pressured by losses on Wall Street and following strong gains last week.

But traders and analysts expect only a temporary pull-back before the AEX index moves higher to challenge key resistance levels.

The AEX finished down 1.29 percent at 652.42 points.

HONG KONG - The Hong Kong market is closed today for a market holiday. On Thursday the blue-chip Hang Seng Index rose 1.13 percent or 178.30 points to close at 15,968.12.

TOKYO - The Tokyo stock market benchmark ended higher, underpinned by gains in the U.S. Nasdaq market and hopes that new domestic trusts will keep whetting investors' appetite for equities.

The benchmark Nikkei closed 182.30 points or 0.92 percent higher at 19,945.43.

SYDNEY - The Australian share market cruised to a firmer finish with minor strength in banks and media giant News Corp underpinning a market distracted by a booming bullion price.

The benchmark All Ordinaries index added 15.3 points or 0.49 percent to 3,130.4.

JOHANNESBURG - South African shares ended sharply higher as a rallying gold price brought some glitter to the bourse.

The gold index closed 163.9 points or 14.65 percent higher at 1,282.3. The benchmark All Share index ended 171.2 points or 1.97 percent higher at 8,862.8. The Industrial index closed up 14.6 points at 9727.3 -Reuters