LONDON - Weaker crude and metal prices sent energy stocks and miners sliding, dragging Britain's top share index down 0.98 percent to its lowest close in more than two months. The FTSE 100 index ended down 41.37 points at 4,194.91, its weakest close since April 29, though strength in defensive stocks prevented a sharper decline.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares fell for the third straight session on renewed worries about the sustainability of economic recovery foreseen in recent sentiment surveys on both sides of the Atlantic and in China. Oil & gas stocks, banks and basic resources took the most points off the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares, which fell 1.1 percent to 833.03 points - its lowest close since May 13.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 4,651.82 points, down 56.39 or 1.2 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,082.16 points, down 37.35 or 1.2 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 5,354.15 points, up 15.64 or 0.29 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 19,265.53 points, down 402.38 or 2.05 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average fell 1.4 percent with investor sentiment dampened after last week's downbeat US employment data dented hopes for an economic recovery. The Nikkei fell 135.2 points to 9,680.87, below its 25-day moving average, which is now around 9,800.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Shares floundered in a bout of profit-taking ahead of corporate earnings, while China shares continued their upward march despite news of Shanghai's first major Initial Public Offering since last September and unrest in Xinjiang. The Hang Seng Index finished down 1.2 percent or 223.99 points lower at 17,979.41 in a skittish session.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Shares fell 1.2 percent to their lowest close since May 28, led down by miners such as BHP Billiton Ltd. and Rio Tinto on weak metal prices and doubts over the prospect of an economic recovery. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 44.5 points to 3,783.7, adding to Friday's 1.3 percent decline.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - Stocks skidded, taking their cue from gloomy global equity markets as weaker metal prices thumped miners amid worries an economic recovery could still be far off. The All-share index closed at 21,665.9 points, down 568.45 or 2.56 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,216.24 points, down 79.53 or 3.46 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 17,456.63 points, down 164.19 or 0.93 percent.