LONDON - Britain's blue chip index ended 0.7 percent higher, boosted by firmer UK house prices and steady consumer confidence, with commodity stocks and banks leading the way but defensive shares came under pressure. The FTSE 100 closed 30.40 higher at 4,417.94, winning 52.65 points over the week. The UK index has advanced 4.1 percent this month — its third monthly rise in a row and the longest winning streak in two years.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares closed higher with oils and miners rising on stronger commodities prices. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares rose 0.2 percent to a close of 862.17 points. Over the week, the index gained 0.7 percent. In May, it rose 4.1 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROpean markets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 4940.82 points, up 7.94 or 0.16 percent on the day, gaining 22.07 points on the week.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3277.65 points, up 13.95 or 0.43 percent, adding 49.68 since Monday.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 5349.74 points, down 0.85 or 0.02 percent, shedding 59.52 since last weekend.

MILAN - The All Share Mibtel index closed at 15743 points, down 174 or 1.09 percent, losing 58 points over the week.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - The Nikkei stock average rose 0.75 percent to its highest in more than seven months, buoyed by commodity-linked firms such as oil and gas field developer Inpex and shippers like Mitsui OSK Lines on growing expectations for demand from China. In a jump just before the close, the index cracked the 9,500 resistance level that it had failed to breach on several previous attempts, rising 71.11 points to close at 9,522.50, the day's high. It rose 296.69 points on the week, its biggest week's increase in three weeks.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Shares jumped 1.6 percent, with the main index finishing above 18,000 points for the first time since October 2008, as energy issues were propped up by higher oil prices and banks were lifted by favourable broker ratings. The Hang Seng Index was up 285.73 points at 18,171, gaining 1,108.48 points in the holiday-shortened week.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Shares rose 1.66 percent as resources firms gained on higher oil, gold and copper prices, though some analysts cautioned over continued volatility in the market. The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 62.3 points to 3,818 after falling 1.2 percent on Thursday. The index gained 56.4 over the week.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's rand came off its 8-month high to the dollar after heavy gains this week on optimism about a possible MTN/Bharti deal, while miners lifted stocks to their highest level in nearly 5 months. The All-share index closed at 22770.62 points, up 455.3 or 2.04 percent, winning 345.08 points since Monday.