LONDON — The FTSE 100 of Britain's leading shares ended down 0.6 percent yesterday as inflation data increased rate hike worries, while miners weighed after a series of broker downgrades. UK consumer prices rose 0.2 percent on the month, bringing the annual rate down one-tenth of a point to 2.4 percent, which is still above the central bank's 2.0 percent target. Many analysts had predicted a sharper fall. The FTSE 100 ended down 38.6 points at 6,659.1, with many traders still jittery over subprime mortgage market concerns.ROUNDUP:EUROPEAN MARKETSFRANKFURT — European stocks closed lower yesterday as investors worrried about the impact of the troubles in the US subprime market and weaker-than-expected German investment sentiment. Oil firms slipped, with Total down 1.1 percent and Eni 0.4 percent lower as London Brent crude oil futures lost 1.6 percent to $75.0 a barrel after a recent rise.The FTSEurofirst 300 index of leading European shares closed down 0.5 percent at 1,622.8, snapping a three-day winning run during which the index gained nearly 2 percent.

Around Europe, Paris's CAC-40 shed 0.4 percent and Frankfurt's DAX declined 0.8 percent.ROUNDUP:nikkeiTOKYO — Japanese shares slipped on concerns about the previous day's earthquake. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index slipped 21.68 points, or 0.12 percent from Friday's close on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, to 18,217.27. Japan's financial markets were closed Monday for a national holiday. ROUNDUP:hang sengHONG KONG — The blue chip Hang Seng Index rose 103 points, or 0.45 percent, to 23,057.30. The advance was mainly driven by the ample liquidity in the market, with "investors now buying major blue chips on hopes of further gains," said Francis Lun, Fulbright Securities' general manager. But traders said the short-term corrections of the past few sessions will probably recur.ROUNDUP:asxSYDNEY — The Australian share market edged slightly higher with gains in Rio Tinto and the banking sector helping to offset weakness in selected stocks, such as agribusiness group Futuris Corp. and uranium miner ERA. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index closed up 0.8 point, 0.01 percent, at 6,381.6.ROUNDUP:south africaJOHANNESBURG — South African shares fell for a second day, led by BHP Billiton Ltd. after Deutsche Bank AG downgraded shares of the world's largest mining company. Anglo American Plc also dropped as the price of metals slid. The FTSE/JSE Africa All Share Index lost 262, or 0.9 percent, to 29,606.22 in Johannesburg.