Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday, according to Reuters. LONDON - Britain's FTSE 100 index closed lower, held back by weaker banks and oil shares, while property shares slid after disappointment with results from British Land. The FTSE 100 closed 20.7 points or 0.37 percent down at 5,511.0, drifting after initially touching a fresh 4-year high of 5,539.0. Volume was a moderate 1.8 billion shares with U.S. markets closed for the Thanksgiving day holiday. EUROPE - European shares eased from 3-1/2-year highs as a weaker-than-expected reading on a key business sentiment gauge in the region's largest economy, Germany, increased fears of a growth slowdown. Concerns that an apparently imminent central bank interest rate increase might dampen growth also weighed on investor sentiment. Activity was subdued as U.S. markets were closed for the Thanksgiving holiday. "The market has been consolidating today after the recent strong rises. There hasn't been too much news," said Helaba Trust equity strategist Markus Reinwand. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of pan-European blue chips closed unofficially at 1,245.74 points, down 0.18 percent, after briefly setting a new multi-year session high of 1,249.34. --More 2131 Local Time 1831 GMT
