LONDON - Britain's top share index rose for a third straight session, buoyed by the return of M&A activity and supported by hawkish economic data and with heavyweight mining and energy stocks leading the gainers. The FTSE 100 closed at 4,947.34 points, up 14.16 or 0.29 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares closed higher for the third consecutive session, with commodity stocks rising on the back of firmer crude and metal prices, while M&A activity boosted telecoms. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed up 0.2 percent at 977.75 points in a choppy session.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROpean markets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,481.73 points, up 18.22 or 0.33 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,660.96 points, up 8.13 or 0.22 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,194.72 points, up 12.75 or 0.21 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 23,003.82 points, up 9.84 or 0.04 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 0.7 percent, with Showa Shell Sekiyu rising on plans to build a new solar cell plant, but gains were limited as the yen's firmness weighed on some exporters. The benchmark Nikkei rose 72.29 points to 10,393.23, edging back up towards its 25-day moving average around 10,400 — key resistance that analysts say it must break to establish a rebound.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Hong Kong stocks closed up 2.14 percent for the fourth straight day, tracking gains on the mainland and led by Chinese banks in the territory on hopes of continued support from the Chinese government. The benchmark Hang Seng Index finished 440.5 points higher at 21,069.81, its highest close since mid-August.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Australian stocks jumped 1.5 percent on solid gains in financial stocks and miners, with a flurry of small resource deals lifting hopes for a pick-up in merger activity. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index rose 69.4 points to 4,523.8, its highest close since early October 2008, though volume was light. That followed a gain of 0.4 percent on Monday.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's rand firmed against the dollar on risk appetite on the back of higher global markets and stronger gold price while local stocks climbed for a fourth day in a row. The All-share index closed at 25,226.16 points, up 205.23 or 0.82 percent.