LONDON - Britain's leading equity index closed marginally higher as positive financial and defensive stocks outpaced weaker commodity shares, which tracked a decline in crude and metals prices. The FTSE 100 index rose 2.01 points to end at 4,236.28 points in thin trading. The index closed just 4.73 points lower than last Friday.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European stocks fell, recording their third straight week of losses, led by utilities, oil & gas and basic resources while banks and media pulled in the opposite direction. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index closed 0.1 percent lower at 842.52 points. It lost 0.2 percent over the week and has fallen 5.1 percent since a five-month high close on June 11.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROpean markets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 4708.21 points, down 10.28 or 0.22 percent on the day and shedding 68.29 points since last weekend.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3119.51 points, up 3.1 or 0.10 percent, slipping 10.22 on the week.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 5338.51 points, down 16.72 or 0.31 percent, dropping 37.48 over the week.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 19667.91 points, down 10.79 or 0.05 percent on the day but rising 106.91 over the last five days.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei stock average lost 0.6 percent to end the week down, bruised by US jobs data that dented hopes of economic recovery and dragged down by retailers after Seven & I tumbled on poor results. The Nikkei lost 60.08 points to 9,816.07 points in thin trade and fell 0.6 percent, or 61.32 points, on the week.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Hong Kong shares reversed their downward course to claw back a 0.1 percent gain, snapping a three-day losing spell, as Chinese insurers climbed, tracking strong gains on the mainland markets. The Hang Seng Index finished up 25.35 points at 18,203.40, but the main index lost 2.1 percent, or 396.86 points, on week.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Australian stocks fell to their lowest close in over a week, with losses headed by global miners BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 49.1 points to 3,828.2, after nudging up just 0.1 percent the previous day. During the week the index lost 75.6 points.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - South African stocks crept higher in a muted session, with Naspers the top gainer after backing the secondary listing of its Chinese unit. The All-share index inched up 0.22 percent to 22,234.35, but shed 73.93 points over the week.