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Closing stock market indices outside the U.S.

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

FRANKFURT: Germany's DAX closed lower though gains in software maker SAP AG helped offset sharp losses by telecoms firms, which were hit by profit taking and a switch into cyclical stocks by some investors. The benchmark DAX index of 30 blue chips ended down 27.15 or 0.42 percent at 6,474.92 points.

PARIS: The correction continued on the Paris bourse as technology stocks fell again, but the index reduced losses towards the close with the help of a flurry of defensive plays, raising hopes of a healthy rebound. The CAC-40 blue chip index ended down for the fourth consecutive day, off 29.59 or 0.54 percent at 5,450.11 points, but bounced back from a session low of 5,388.85.

ZURICH: Shares closed more than one percent firmer in a technical rebound after two sessions of heavy losses. Gains in index heavyweight Nestle also helped give the market a lift. The Blue-chip SMI closed up 99.3 points or 1.38 percent at 7,280.6 points, off the day's high at 7,301.9.

MILAN: Bourse indices fell for the fourth straight session of the new year as investors again targeted technology and telecom stocks to take profits. The Mibtel all-share index ended 1.52 percent or 409 points down at 26,439, just off a session low of 26,347 and after opening at 27,060.

AMSTERDAM: Shares ended down as investors took profits after recent world wide gains in the telecoms and technology sectors. The AEX index closed down 8.1 or 1.28 percent at 624.21 points.

SYDNEY: The share market closed lower, reversing earlier gains, after investors became rattled by weakness in U.S. stock index futures. The benchmark All Ordinaries Index closed down 20.8 points or 0.68 percent at 3,030.1.

JOHANNESBURG: Resource stocks shone on the Johannesburg bourse as investors switched out of high-valued technology stocks into a sector seen as a safe haven amid brighter prospects for commodity prices. The All Share index ended the day up 10.3 points or 0.12 percent at 8,432.5. The industrial index slipped 38.3 points or 0.42 percent to 9,074.5. The All Gold index closed at 1,070 points, down 0.3 or 0.03 percent.-Reuters