LONDON - Britain's top share index closed higher, as risk appetite received a boost after reassuring signals on the UK economy, and with miners the biggest gainers after a jump in Chinese factory growth. The FTSE 100 closed at 5,266.75 points, up 36.2 or 0.69 percent.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST
EUROPE - European shares hit a three-week closing high, boosted by financials and miners and a renewed appetite for risk following positive macro-economic data from China. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares ended up 0.4 percent at 1,013.87 points, the highest close since October 22.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROpean markets
FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,668.35 points, up 55.15 or 0.98 percent.
PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,814.39 points, up 28.8 or 0.76 percent.
ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,374.7 points, up 5.6 or 0.09 percent.
MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 23,687.14 points, up 237.25 or 1.01 percent.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei
TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei stock average was flat as the yen climbed, offsetting a surprisingly large jump in domestic machinery orders for September and a forecast for a rise in the fourth quarter. The Nikkei was flat at 9,871.68, up 0.95 point.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng
HONG KONG - Stocks rose to their highest close in 15 months, with index heavyweight HSBC leading gains after a bullish outlook from the bank eclipsed concerns about stretched market valuations. The benchmark Hang Seng Index rose 1.61 percent, or 359.05 points, to 22,627.21, its fourth straight session of gains.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx
SYDNEY - Stocks rose 0.49 percent, led by miners such as BHP Billiton Ltd and Rio Tinto Ltd after economic data from China supported a view that a global economic recovery was taking hold. The S&P/ASX 200 index added 23.4 points to 4,757.0, rising for a fourth straight session.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's rand held its gains against the dollar, trading near a three-week high and local stocks rose for the fourth day in a row buoyed by mining shares. The All-share index closed at 26,662.54 points, up 286.61 or 1.09 percent.
