LONDON - European shares closed higher as strong manufacturing data from the US reinforced the view the economy is on the mend, boosting banking stocks, while miners rose on firmer metals prices. The FTSE 100 closed at 5,247.41 points, up 58.89 or 1.14 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares closed higher as strong manufacturing data from the US reinforced the view the economy is on the mend, boosting banking stocks, while miners rose on firmer metals prices.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index closed 0.6 percent higher at 1,018.00 points. In January, the index suffered its worst monthly loss since February 2009 but it remains up 57 percent from its lifetime low of March last year.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,654.48 points, up 45.69 or 0.81 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,762.01 points, up 22.55 or 0.60 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,496.33 points, up 55.61 or 0.86 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 22,545.91 points, up 113.57 or 0.51 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average finished flat as investors picked up shares of companies that reported bullish earnings such as Mizuho Financial but sold resource shares on weaker commodity prices. The Nikkei nudged up 6.98 points to end at 10,205.02 after falling as low as 10,129.91, its lowest since December 18.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Hong Kong shares erased earlier losses, ending up 0.61 percent, as investors picked up beaten down stocks such as mainland lender China Construction Bank. The Hang Seng Index closed up 121.76 points at 20,243,75, rebounding after posting its worst monthly percentage loss in 15 months in January.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Australian shares dropped one percent, retreating to their lowest in nearly three months, after weak local job advertisement data dampened optimism about economic growth prospects. The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 45.5 points to 4,524.1, the lowest close since November 5.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's rand gained against the dollar after the greenback's slight fall, while the resource-heavy bourse fell for a third straight day on lower mining shares. The All-share index closed at 26,487.48 points, down 188.47 or 0.71 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,194.53 points, down 13.98 or 0.63 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 20,925.66 points, down 16.83 or 0.08 percent.