LONDON - Britain's leading share index closed 1.15 percent higher after US data showing employers shed fewer jobs last month than expected. The FTSE 100 closed up 54.95 points at 4,851.7, posting its biggest percentage gain in two weeks as it snapped a three-session losing streak. The index fell 57.2 points over the course of the week.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European stocks, drawing some support from better-than-expected US jobs data, snapped four days of losses with banking and mining stocks the major gainers. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed up 1.3 percent at 962.42 points in a choppy session which touched a high of 964.4 and a low mark of 949.39.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,384.43 points, up 83.01 or 1.57 percent, falling 132.92 points since last Friday.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,598.76 points, up 45.25 or 1.27 percent, falling 94.38 points over the week.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,119.07 points, up 45.35 or 0.75 percent, losing 92.51 points over the week.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 22,656.66 points, up 262.66 or 1.17 percent, but lower on week by 420.68.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average fell 0.27 percent to hit its lowest close in five weeks, with investors' reluctance to buy ahead of key US jobs data outweighing short-covering on better-than-expected US sales figures. In moderate trade, the benchmark Nikkei fell 27.53 points to 10,187.11, its lowest finish since July 30. It shed 347.03 points on the week, though it has gained 1,327.55 points so far this year.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Shares jumped 2.82 percent to post their biggest single-day gain in six weeks, after China hiked the limit for stock investments by foreign funds in a show of support for the market. The Hang Seng Index finished 556.94 points higher at 20,318.62.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Stocks ended flat, shedding earlier gains as investors turned cautious ahead of US employment data that could give clues on the pace of a US recovery. The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.13 percent, or 5.9 points, to 4,435.5, after touching a high of 4,477. For the week, the index fell 54.1 points.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - Stocks ended higher for a second day running, led by Lonmin on speculation that former suitor Xstrata will renew a takeover bid, while the rand hit a 6-week high. The All-share index closed at 24,719.17 points, up 96.09 or 0.39 percent, falling 522.08 points over the week.