LONDON - Britain's top share index closed a touch lower, as a weakening in banks after a cautious research note from Credit Suisse slightly outpaced buoyant oil issues and drugmakers. The FTSE 100 ended down 4.42 points, or 0.08 percent, at 5,602.3, having closed up 6.96 points on Monday, its highest close since September 2, 2008 - before Lehman Brothers collapsed.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares fell for the second consecutive session, with banking stocks down and miners lower as metal prices retreated on a firmer dollar, while defensive food producers and drugmakers gained. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed down 0.1 percent at 1,052.55 points. The index has risen 63 percent since reaching a lifetime low in March 9 2009, but is little changed this year.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,885.89 points, up 9.98 or 0.17 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,910.01 points, up 6.47 or 0.17 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,868.32 points, up 17.12 or 0.25 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 22,850.94 points, down 33.94 or 0.15 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average fell 0.17 percent on profit-taking after the market hit a six-week high the day before, while shares of Fujitsu extended losses on a dispute with its former president. In light trade, the benchmark Nikkei shed 18.27 points to 10,567.65, after hitting its highest close since January 22 on Monday.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Shares edged up 0.05 percent for a third straight session of gains, led by China Life after the world's biggest life insurer by market value revised its profit forecast upwards. The Hang Seng Index ended up 10.68 points at 21,207.55.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Stocks finished 0.25 percent stronger, marking the 8th straight session of gains, after strong business confidence and job ads data encouraged investors that the recovery was on track. The S&P/ASX 200 index ended up 12.2 points at 4,820.1, taking its gains over the past eight sessions to 4.9 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - South African assets dipped, knocked by a global drop in risk appetite and lower commodity prices that took the rand and stock market off multi-week highs. The All-share index closed at 27,898.14 points, down 218.55 or 0.78 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,205.94 points, down 30.59 or 1.37 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 22,139.91 points, up 15.43 or 0.07 percent.