LONDON - Britain's leading share index jumped 1.7 percent, after a proposed bid for Cadbury by Kraft raised hopes of a more general pick-up in merger activity and lifted banks and commodity shares. The FTSE 100 closed at 4,933.18 points, up 81.48 or 1.68 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares closed higher, with British confectionery group Cadbury soaring 38 percent following a 10.2 billion pound ($16.7 billion) bid approach from US company Kraft Foods. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares rose 1.4 percent to 975.90 points, just 0.3 percent away from an 11-month closing high. The European benchmark index has risen more than 51 percent since it hit a lifetime low of March 9 as investor confidence about prospects of economic recovery have grown.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROpean markets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,463.51 points, up 79.08 or 1.47 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,652.83 points, up 54.07 or 1.50 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,181.97 points, up 62.9 or 1.03 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 22,993.98 points, up 337.32 or 1.49 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei stock average climbed 1.31 percent as exporters such as Canon Inc rose, with investors focusing on the bright side of mixed US jobs data and as the yen retreated against the dollar. The benchmark Nikkei rose 133.83 points to 10,320.94 after hitting a five-week closing low on Friday.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Shares climbed 1.53 percent to a three-week closing high on hopes that the Chinese government will continue to support its stock market and after data showed fewer job cuts in the United States in August. The Hang Seng Index finished 310.69 points higher at 20,629.31, its highest close since mid-August.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Stocks put on 0.43 percent, with banks making modest gains, amid optimism that the support of global government stimulus would not be withdrawn for some time. The S&P/ASX 200 index ended 18.9 points higher at 4,454.4, after adding 0.1 percent on Friday.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - The rand crept to a new 13-month high and South African stocks gained for a third straight day, boosted by mining shares and global optimism after G20 powers agreed to keep stimulus packages in place. The All-share index closed at 25,020.93 points, up 301.76 or 1.22 percent.