LONDON - Banks and commodity stocks powered a sharp rise in Britain's top share index, as HSBC's results beat forecasts and metal and energy prices rose. The FTSE 100 closed up 139.09 points, or 2.7 percent, at 5,397.11.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares hit a three-month closing high, to finish above a key resistance level, boosted by strong results from HSBC and BNP Paribas and better than expected US manufacturing data. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index closed up 2.6 percent at 1,070.93 points. The index has slipped in the past three sessions but ended 5 percent higher in July to record its first monthly gain since March.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 6,292.13 points, up 144.16 or 2.34 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,752.03 points, up 108.89 or 2.99 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,321.64 points, up 120.86 or 1.95 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 21,975.78 points, up 512.58 or 2.39 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.35 percent as investors snapped up shares of firms with robust corporate earnings, helping the market shrug off a strong yen and lacklustre US economic data. The Nikkei rose 33.01 points to 9,570.31.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Stocks rose to a three-month closing high, led by hopes for strong earnings at HSBC and on news that contract cell phone maker Foxconn International has resumed operations at a factory in India. The Hang Seng Index ended up 1.82 percent or 382.98 points at 21,412.79, its highest closing level since April 26.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Shares rose 1.07 percent, boosted by miners and banks, and propelled by some standout gainers such as Linc Energy which rallied 18.5 percent on talk it was ready to sell some coal asset. The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 48.1 points to 4,541.6.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - South African assets rallied, with the rand and stocks hitting their highest levels in more than three months, as a global upswing in markets boosted risk appetite and demand for commodities. The All-share index closed at 28,883.19 points, up 527.98 or 1.86 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,329.69 points, down 8.24 or 0.35 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 23,501.44 points, up 349.2 or 1.51 percent.