LONDON - Britain's top share index ended 0.67 percent lower, dragged down by banks, which extended the previous session's losses, in thin trading ahead of the Easter break. The FTSE 100 index ended down 38.34 points at 5,672.32, having closed above the 5,700 level for the last three sessions. The index hit a 21-month intra-day peak at 5,742.75 earlier.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares ended flat, with gains in the utility sector offsetting falls in banks, with UBS up on a forecast bumper profit at its fixed income business. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares provisionally closed up 0.01 percent at 1,079.34 points, having earlier reached 1,086.03, its highest since early October 2008.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 6,142.45 points, down 14.4 or 0.23 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,987.41 points, down 13.25 or 0.33 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,871.42 points, up 20.84 or 0.3 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 23,513.99 points, down 93.81 or 0.4 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - The Nikkei average rose 1.01 percent to an 18-month closing high, with commodity-linked shares such as Mitsubishi Corp. climbing following a rise in commodity prices. The benchmark Nikkei gained 110.67 points to 11,097.14, its highest close since October 2008.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Stocks ended at the highest close in nearly two weeks, led by airlines as investors bet that China will allow the yuan to appreciate, boosting the outlook for the sector. The Hang Seng Index ended up 0.65 percent or 137.36 points at 21,374.79.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Stocks rose 0.4 percent, shored up by miners after copper hit a 19-month high and global miners settled iron ore contracts that reflected the strong spot market. The S&P/ASX 200 index gained 19.5 points to close at 4,916.8.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - Stocks hit their highest level in 20 months, led by mining shares on the back of rising commodity prices. The All-share index closed at 28,735.26 points, up 29.44 or 0.1 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,192.93 points, down 37.6 or 1.69 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 22,367.07 points, down 102.47 or 0.46 percent.