LONDON - Britain's blue chip share index ended down 0.6 percent, led by banks after a trading update from Standard Chartered failed to excite investors while commodity stocks were also under pressure. The FTSE 100 closed at 4,252.57 points, down 27.41 or 0.64 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares closed lower as banks and drugmakers fell and investor sentiment was hit by data showing the number of US workers filing new claims for jobless benefits unexpectedly rose last week.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed down 0.9 percent at 845.71 points. The index has rebounded around 30 percent since it hit a lifetime low on March 9.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 4,800.56 points, down 35.45 or 0.73 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,163.1 points, down 21.66 or 0.68 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 5,361.3 points, down 82.12 or 1.51 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 19,638.91 points, down 90.02 or 0.46 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei stock index climbed 2.2 percent for its best day in over a month, as property shares climbed on expectations for an economic recovery and exporters got a boost from a weaker yen. The Nikkei gained 205.76 points to 9,796.08, completely erasing losses sustained in a 2.8 percent fall earlier this week and marking its best day since May 19 in percentage terms.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Hong Kong shares rose 2.1 percent as investors continued to cover short positions on financial counters, while property stocks surged after the US Federal Reserve stuck to its script of keeping borrowing costs low. The Hang Seng Index ended up 382.88 points at 18,275.03.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Australian shares rose 1.3 percent as resource stocks were boosted by firmer metals and oil prices and the International Monetary Fund's upward revision of economic growth prospects buoyed companies relying on domestic growth. The S&P/ASX 200 gained 49 points to 3,856, after rising 0.3 percent on Wednesday.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - South African stocks fell and bonds weakened, partly rattled by an unexpected central bank decision to leave interest rates unchanged, but the rand recouped some of its earlier losses against the dollar. The All-share index closed at 22,156.17 points, down 235.21 or 1.05 percent.