LONDON - Britain's FTSE 100 share index closed above the 5,000 level for the first time since October 2008, rising 1.15 percent on the back of strong oil and bank stocks, as well as early gains on Wall Street. By the close the index was 56.96 points higher at 5,004.30, extending the recent rally to a fourth straight session.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European share prices hit an 11-month closing high, with stronger crude prices on the back of a falling dollar boosting energy stocks and Commerzbank leading the financial sector higher. Automakers advanced after Renault's chief executive, Carlos Ghosn, said "the financial crisis is clearly behind us". The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares ended one percent higher at 987.85 points.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROpean markets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,574.26 points, up 92.53 or 1.69 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3707.69 points, up 46.73 or 1.28 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,202.04 points, up 7.32 or 0.12 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 23,271.34 points, up 267.52 or 1.16 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - The Nikkei stock average fell 0.78 percent, with Canon Inc and other exporters hit by a stronger yen while bank shares slid after a brokerage downgraded two of Japan's biggest banks. The benchmark Nikkei lost 81.09 points to 10,312.14, with resistance seen at 10,400 — about the level of its 25-day moving average.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Shares dropped 1.04 percent, snapping a four-session rally, on concern about a slew of new issues expected to flood the market soon. The Hang Seng Index finished 218.77 points lower at 20,851.04 after tacking on more than 1,500 points in the last four sessions, lifting the main index above 21,000 points.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Stocks came off an 11-month high to end little changed, as retailers and top shopping mall owner Westfield Group turned down after Australian retail sales unexpectedly fell in July. The S&P/ASX 200 index ended down 1.6 points at 4,522.2, after touching a high of 4,554.7, snapping three days of gains.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's rand briefly surged to a 13-month high to the dollar, buoyed by commodity prices and speculation MTN and Bharti Airtel had reached a deal, before retreating on a denial by the Indian mobile phone group. The All-share index closed at 25,085.92 points, down 140.24 or 0.56 percent.