LONDON - Britain's leading shares fell 1.21 percent, sliding back in the afternoon in tandem with New York stocks, with miners and oils the main drag as commodity prices fell back pressured by a firmer US dollar. By the close, the FTSE 100 index was 64.69 points lower at 5,278.23, reversing again after Wednesday's 27.83 points rally.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares slipped to their lowest level in more than a week due to disappointing economic numbers and persistent concerns over Greece's ability to manage its debt burden. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares finished 1.7 percent lower at 996.73 points, the lowest close since February 15. The index posted its biggest one-day decline in about three weeks.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,532.33 points, down 83.18 or 1.48 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,640.77 points, down 74.91 or 2.02 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,643.96 points, down 43.99 or 0.66 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 21,347.82 points, down 494.53 or 2.26 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average fell 0.95 percent as the yen rose broadly, outweighing comments by US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that interest rates would be kept at very low levels for a long time. The Nikkei fell 96.87 points to 10,101.96.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Hong Kong shares fell 0.33 percent in cautious trade as losses in Chinese banks on fears of further monetary tightening outweighed gains in property stocks. The benchmark Hang Seng Index ended down 68.17 points at 20,399.57.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Shares fell 1.17 percent, dragged down by logistics group Toll Holdings and as expectations for an Australian rate hike intensified and concerns rose about Greece's economy. The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 54.4 points to 4,594.1, adding to Wednesday's 1.5 percent drop.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - The rand fell to its lowest level since early November as investors dumped high-risk assets, and stocks fell for a second day as concern about the global economy sparked selling of resources-related shares. The All-share index closed at 26,731.85 points, down 201.23 or 0.75 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,159.55 points, up 6.96 or 0.32 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 21,233.65 points, down 29.68 or 0.14 percent.