LONDON - Britain's top share index lost 2.1 percent dented by weakness in commodity stocks, banks and index heavyweight Vodafone, which traded ex-dividend.

At the close, the FTSE 100 was down 93.6 points at 4,383.42.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European stocks fell, led by banking, energy and mining shares, as disappointing US macro data raised doubts about a return to economic growth soon and a recovery in corporate earnings.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index closed down two percent at 868.1 points.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,054.53 points, down 89.53 or 1.74 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,309.65 points, down 68.39 or 2.02 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 5,384.71 points, down 47.51 or 0.87 percent.

MILAN - The FT Italian All Share index closed at 20,730.02, down 298.99 or 1.89 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei stock average gained 0.4 percent, with resource and semiconductor-linked shares rising after a surprise surge in US pending home sales added to hopes that the global recession may be easing.

The Nikkei rose 37.36 points to 9,741.67, closing at an eight-month high.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Hong Kong shares rose one percent after upbeat US housing sales data drummed up hopes for an economic recovery, but profit-taking pressure persisted following the market's blazing rally in May.

The Hang Seng Index closed up 187.39 points at 18,576.47.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Australian shares rose 1.6 percent to close at a fresh seven-month high at 4,017.89.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's FTSE/JSE Africa All Share Index slid for the first time in four days, losing 155.93, or 0.7 percent, to 23,505.94 at 10.29 a.m. in Johannesburg.