LONDON - Britain's blue-chip share index ended down 0.65 percent, hurt by banks after a major shareholder sold its holding in Barclays, although improving US pending home sales lent some support to the market. The FTSE 100 closed 29.17 points lower at 4,477.02, giving up some of the previous session's two percent rise.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European stocks ended flat as stronger auto shares negated the impact of weaker banks, which were led lower by Barclays after Abu Dhabi sold more than 11 percent of the lender's shares. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed down 0.39 points at 885.88, having hit an intraday high of 888.94 - its highest since early January. The index, which slumped 45 percent in 2008, has jumped 37 percent since hitting a lifetime low in early March.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,144.06 points, up 1.5 or 0.03 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,378.04 points, down 1.45 or 0.04 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 5,432.22 points, up 82.48 or 1.54 percent.

MILAN - The FT Italian All Share index closed at 21,129.01, up 32.35 or 0.15 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - The Nikkei stock average rose 0.27 percent, logging an eight-month closing high for the second straight day, with carmakers up after uncertainty about General Motors cleared in the wake of its bankruptcy filing. The Nikkei gained 26.56 points to 9,704.31, its highest close since October 7.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Shares fell off an eight-month high as investors deemed blue chips expensive and locked in gains on the recent rally, but China-listed stocks made small gains, bolstered by ample liquidity. The Hang Seng Index ended down 2.64 percent or 499.51 points at 18,389.08, led by a 3.9 percent drop in HSBC, which took a breather after a 25 percent advance in May.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Stocks rose 1.56 percent, its highest close in almost seven months, as surprisingly strong economic data boosted retailers and builders and fuelled hopes the nation could avoid recession.

The S&P/ASX 200 index added 60.9 points to 3,955.3, its highest close since November 11.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - The rand was softer against the dollar but pared some of its earlier losses, which had been partly caused by comments from Governor Tito Mboweni suggesting the central bank wants a weaker currency. The All-share index closed at 23,661.87 points, up 113.22 or 0.48 percent.