LONDON - Britain's leading share index ended flat with strength in energy issues countered a sell-off in miners, weak financial issues and uncertain progress on Wall Street. The FTSE 100 closed at 5,538.07 points, up 3.83 or 0.07 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares edged lower, retreating from a 15-month high earlier in the session, as financial shares slipped ahead of the start of the US earnings season.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed down 0.1 percent at 1,063.82 points, after touching a new 15-month high of 1,074.5.

"The Chinese numbers were great which is why we were so strong first thing this morning, but now we have seen the profit takers come out," said Jim Wood Smith, head of research at Williams de Broe.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 6,040.5 points, up 2.89 or 0.05 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 4,043.09 points, down 2.05 or 0.05 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,592.26 points, down 25.62 or 0.39 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 24,192.49 points, down 39.15 or 0.16 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japanese markets were closed for a National Holiday, Coming of Age day. They will reopen tomorrow. On Friday, the Nikkei rose 1.09 percent or 116.66 points to 10,798.32.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Shares rose, with the financial sector outperforming, buoyed by news of stock index futures being approved among other reforms and strong Chinese trade data. The benchmark Hang Seng Index ended up 0.51 percent, or 114.77 points, at 22,411.52.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Stocks rose 0.78 percent to a fresh 15-month closing high, boosted by resource firms as stronger-than-expected data on Chinese imports helped boost faith in a global economic recovery. The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 38.6 points to 4,950.70, the highest closing level since September 24, 2008 and building on four straight weeks of gains.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's rand firmed slightly to the dollar but was off its session high on strong importer demand locally, while resource shares pushed the bourse higher. The All-share index closed at 28,346.78 points, up 80.24 or 0.28 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,540.63 points, up 26.57 or 1.06 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 21,292.16 points, down 238.46 or 1.11 percent.