Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday. LONDON - Leading UK shares recorded a 39-month closing high boosted by strong U.S. company results and signs of solid non-inflationary retail demand from U.S. consumers, with dealings further spiced up by fresh bid talk surrounding retailer Kingfisher. The FTSE 100 index closed 13.8 points or 0.26 percent higher at 5,259.7, its highest close since pril 2002. EUROPE - European shares closed at new three-year highs as data showing the U.S. economy was growing at a sustainable pace complemented pleasing earnings from heavyweights such as Swiss drugmaker Novartis. A solid performance on Wall Street and a cooling in red hot oil prices also lent support to indexes which shrugged off the impact of last week's bombings in London. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of pan-European blue chips closed 0.5 percent firmer at 1,165.4 points, its highest close since June 2002. --More 2250 Local Time 1950 GMT
