Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Wednesday, according to Reuters. LONDON - Britain's FTSE 100 index reversed a five-day losing streak to end higher led by British Airways after it reached agreement on a long-standing pension fund dispute. The FTSE 100 closed up 43.2 points, or 0.7 percent at 6,229.8, as global markets rallied, the Dow hitting an all-time high in early U.S. trading on potential consolidation activity. EUROPE - European stock indexes closed within striking distance of a new 5-1/2 year high, boosted by strong technology stocks and signs or speculation of merger activity surrounding Volkswagen and Saint-Gobain. An unexpected rise in manufacturing activity in New York State factories further underpinned sentiment, easing worries that a slowdown in the U.S. economy would deepen. The data also propped up the dollar, which in turn bolstered euro zone exporters such as DaimlerChrysler. But the market's gains were capped by caution ahead of the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve's last policy-setting meeting, and by sharp losses in Deutsche Boerse and Euronext after the German exchange dropped a takeover bid. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares gained 0.6 percent to end at 1,470.83 points, slightly below a 5-1/2 year closing high of 1,471.66 hit last week and bringing to 15.2 percent its overall gains since the start of the year. FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 6,430.89 points, up 43.51 or 0.68 percent. PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 5,511.53 points, up 35.25 or 0.64 percent. ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 8,791.17 points, up 57.35 or 0.66 percent. MILAN - The All Share Mibtel index closed at 31,333 points, up 214 or 0.69 percent. TOKYO - The Nikkei share average slipped 0.28 percent as domestic demand-linked stocks such as Fast Retailing fell on profit-taking. The Nikkei was 46.08 points lower at 16,243.47, after booking a 1.7 percent gain on Tuesday on strong GDP numbers. HONG KONG - Blue chips rallied 1.14 percent to a record close as unsatiated demand for China plays fuelled China Mobile and drove China Construction Bank to a record high. The benchmark Hang Seng index rose 214.58 points to an all-time closing high of 19,093.00, marking the second session the index has breached the moderately tough resistance level. SYDNEY - Shares ended little changed, with uncertainty over metal prices pressuring miners and balancing out upbeat comments on earnings from Computershare and BlueScope Steel. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 5.7 points, or 0.1 percent, to 5,429.9. JOHANNESBURG - Worries about bad debt hit retailers while a pullback in metals prices knocked mining shares like Impala Platinum. The All-share index closed at 23,659.44 points, down 14.95 or 0.06 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,840.21 points, down 60.99 or 2.10 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 16,297.41 points, up 24.24 or 0.15 percent.
