LONDON - Britain's FTSE 100 share index hit a 22-month high for the second day, as US data and earnings reports fanned hopes that a recovery in the world's largest economy was gathering pace, with banks also buoyed by bullish broker comment. The FTSE 100 closed 28.76 points or 0.5 percent higher at 5,825.01 - its highest close since June 17, 2008. The index rose 34.59 points on Wednesday.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares ended near 19-month highs yesterday, led by banking stocks as positive US earnings gave support to the sector and drugmakers gained after Roche results beat forecasts. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed up 0.6 percent at 1,112.22 points, its highest close since late September 2008.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROMARKETS

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 6,291.45 points, up 13.05 or 0.21 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 4,065.65 points, up 7.95 or 0.2 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,967.56 points, up 50.97 or 0.74 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 24,049.59 points, up 66.55 or 0.28 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - The Nikkei average rose 0.6 percent to a one-week closing high, with shippers up on strong Chinese economic growth and the market supported after robust US results from companies such as JP Morgan boosted Wall Street.

In active trade, the benchmark Nikkei rose 68.89 points to 11,273.79, heading back towards an 18-month high of 11,408.17 marked on April 5.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Shares erased most of their gains to end marginally higher, as renewed worries that Beijing may take steps to cool the roaring economy weighed on the market. The Hang Seng Index ended up 0.2 percent or 36.39 points at 22,157.82, after rising nearly one percent earlier in the session.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

MELBOURNE - Shares inched up to close just above 5,000 for the first time in 19 months, led by the banks as US corporate earnings, retail data bolstered investor confidence. The S&P/ASX 200 picked up 7.3 points, or 0.15 percent, to close at 5,001.9, adding to a 43 point rise on Wednesday.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - The rand pulled back from a two-week low, lifted by higher precious metal prices which also helped push local stocks to their highest close in 21 months.

The All-Share index gained 0.22 percent or 65.4 to a 21-month high of 29,565.1.