LONDON - Britain's leading shares fell 0.65 percent as renewed jitters over the health of the financial sector hit banks and offset gains by heavyweight oils. At the close the FTSE 100 was 28.69 points lower at 4,387.54, snapping two sessions of gains this week.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST
EUROPE - European shares fell, led by financials such as Deutsche Bank and AXA, with scant corporate news to give direction and US data sending mixed signals on economic recovery prospects. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed 1.2 percent lower at 860.21 points, having fallen as much as 2.0 percent earlier in the session.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROpean markets
FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 4,932.88 points, down 67.89 or 1.36 percent.
PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,263.7 points, down 31.16 or 0.95 percent.
ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 5,350.59 points, down 68.83 or 1.27 percent.
MILAN - The All Share Mibtel index closed at 15,917 points, down 85 or 0.53 percent.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei
TOKYO - The Nikkei average edged up 0.13 percent, supported by hopes that Japan's economy may have seen its worst phase and is headed for a recovery. The Nikkei rose 12.62 points to 9,451.39.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng
HONG KONG - Hong Kong's market was closed yesterday for the Dragon Boat Festival holiday. It will reopen tomorrow. On Wednesday the Hang Seng Index closed up 893.71 points at 17,885.27.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx
SYDNEY - Stocks fell 1.2 percent as optimism that an economic recovery is within sight was dented by Australian business spending data and concern over the impact of the rising cost of US debt. The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 45.4 points to 3,755.7, after having risen 1.7 percent in the past two days.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa
JOHANNESBURG - The rand firmed against the dollar after the central bank cut interest rates further to spur an economy that is in its first recession in 17 years, while stocks ended lower. The All-share index closed at 22,315.32 points, down 206.36 or 0.92 percent.
