LONDON - The FTSE 100 of Britain's leading shares ended down 1.9 percent and touched a near one-month low after subprime lending worries and a sell-off in US markets hit shares.

The FTSE ended 125.7 points lower at 6,498.7.ROUNDUP:EUROFIRSTEUROPE - European shares fell as unease over the outlook for the US economy persisted, overshadowing a raft of upbeat results from the likes of Akzo Nobel.

A series of disappointing results from some of the US bellwether companies has unsettled European investors who are already grappling with record strength in their currency, wide credit spreads and patchy earnings so far this quarter.

The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed 1.5 percent lower at 1,585.62 points, making this the lowest close since June 27.ROUNDUP:EUROmarketsFRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 7806.79 points, down 137.42 or 1.73 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 5907.47 points, down 101.69 or 1.69 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 9047.68 points, down 69.77 or 0.77 percent.

MILAN - The All Share Mibtel index closed at 32279 points, down 577 or 1.76 percent.ROUNDUP:nikkei>TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average edged up 0.21 percent as strong earnings helped KDDI to rebound, while investors chased after laggards such as Mizuho Financial and other bank shares.

The Nikkei average added 38.39 points to close at 18,002.03.ROUNDUP:hang sengHONG KONG - Hong Kong-listed China plays rose 1.2 percent as insurers rallied to all-time highs on an upbeat profit guidance, while Angang Steel led that sector to records amid outlooks for higher steel prices.

The Hang Seng Index closed up 107.32 points at a record close of 23,472.88.ROUNDUP:asx<.5b0>SYDNEY - Australian shares rose 0.5 percent to set a 36th record closing high this year, with miners BHP Billiton and Newcrest Mining leading gains after posting production records for their main commodities.

The S&P/ASX 200 index added 31.9 points to close at 6,422.3.ROUNDUP:south africaJOHANNESBURG - South African stocks slid more than one percent as a grim outlook for the US housing market rattled global equity markets and Nedbank fell as takeover talk abated.

The All-share index closed at 29590.81 points, down 294.46 or 0.99 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2725.19 points, down 17.49 or 0.64 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 20302.04 points, down 171.27 or 0.84 percent.