Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday, according to Reutes. LONDON - Britain's FTSE 100 ended up, led by sugar and sweetener maker Tate & Lyle and banking consolidation talk. Mining and oil companies limited the gains as commodity prices remained low. The FTSE 100 closed up 29.4 points, or 0.5 percent, at 5,966.5 after the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit an all-time high for the second day in a row, as data showing a weaker-than-expected services sector calmed inflation fears and added to hopes the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged. EUROPE - European shares rose, boosted by a rally in telecoms investors snapped up undervalued stocks, and banks as takeover talk swirled through the sector, while the Dow Jones pushed to a fresh all-time high. Among major movers, Scania rallied as Volkswagen bought a stake in MAN to support a three-way truck alliance between the companies, while Airbus parent EADS tumbled after issuing yet another profit warning. "Markets have rebounded and leadership has shifted away from the most economically sensitive regions and sectors," said HSBC global equity strategist Kevin Gardiner in a note. "On a three to six-month view we continue to expect more of the same. Stocks can hit new post-bubble highs." The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index closed up 0.7 percent at 1,402.4, shy of a near-five year high of 1,407.5 hit in May, but still up 10 percent so far this year. FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 6,046.37 points, up 54.15 or 0.90 percent. PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 5,256.55 points, up 36.76 or 0.70 percent. ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 8,448.91 points, up 58.69 or 0.70 percent. MILAN - The All Share Mibtel index closed at 29,521 points, up 200 or 0.68 percent. TOKYO - The Nikkei average lost 0.98 percent as energy stocks such as Nippon Mining and trading firms fell on a sharp drop in U.S. crude oil futures prices. The Nikkei declined 159.54 points to 16,082.55. HONG KONG - Blue chips closed up 0.13 percent in volatile trade, supported by gains in cellular carrier China Mobile, but losses in oil producer PetroChina and other resource shares dragged down the resource-heavy mainland H shares. The benchmark Hang Seng index added 22.68 points to finish at 17,629.21. SYDNEY - Shares hit a near one-week closing low, dragged down by the energy and mining sectors on falling oil and metals prices, with index-heavyweight BHP Billiton slumping 4.6 percent. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index lost 41.6 points, or 0.8 percent, to end at 5,142.7. JOHANNESBURG - Industrial group Barloworld starred on a rosy profits outlook as shares marched higher, but fuel producer Sasol and BHP Billiton fell on weaker oil and metal prices. The All-share index closed at 22,367.15 points, up 93.01 or 0.42 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,798.38 points, up 12.27 or 0.44 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 15,195.83 points, up 175.08 or 1.17 percent.
