LONDON - Britain's top share index drifted lower, weighed down by energy and bank stocks, consolidating below the psychologically important 5,000 level. The FTSE 100 index closed down 16.62 points, or 0.33 percent to 4,987.68, having closed above 5,000 for the first time since late September 2008 on Wednesday.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares closed slightly higher in a choppy session, rising for the fifth consecutive day, with gains in technology stocks overshadowing losses in the banking sector. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares edged up 0.48 points or 0.1 percent to 988.33 points.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROpean markets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,594.77 points, up 20.51 or 0.37 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,705.87 points, down 1.82 or 0.05 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,208.43 points, up 6.39 or 0.10 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 23,328.86 points, up 57.52 or 0.25 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei stock average climbed 1.95 percent, its biggest one-day gain in two weeks, as healthy risk appetite lifted shares around Asia and helped banking stocks rebound after a recent slide. The benchmark Nikkei rose 201.53 points to 10,513.67.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Shares scaled a 12-month peak, but closed off their highs, after a recent strong rally triggered a short squeeze in blue-chip counters. The Hang Seng Index closed 218.52 points or 1.05 percent higher at 21,069.56, off an earlier high of 21,322.55, after a one percent drop on Wednesday.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Shares rose 1.07 percent to an 11-month closing high, as expectations of an economic recovery lifted retailers such as David Jones Ltd while stronger oil prices boosted energy stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 48.6 points to 4,570.8, its highest close since October 7, 2008.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - The rand weakened slightly to the dollar after central bank and International Monetary Fund comments it may be overvalued while local resource shares lifted the bourse. The All-share index closed at 25,315.86 points, up 229.94 or 0.92 percent.