LONDON - Britain's top shares ended 0.22 percent lower, with banks weak on concerns over a possible windfall tax, offsetting modest gains in miners and energy stocks which rebounded from earlier losses. The FTSE 100 closed 11.70 points lower at 5,310.66 points, paring some losses from earlier in the session when the index dropped to a day-low of 5,250.98 points.
EUROPE - European shares closed lower, with British lenders the biggest fallers. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed down 0.5 percent at 1,020.61 points. The index is up 58 percent since it reached a record low in early March and is up nearly 23 for the year.
FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,784.75 points, down 32.9 or 0.57 percent.
PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,840.05 points, down 6.57 or 0.17 percent.
ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,470.61 points, down 30.55 or 0.47 percent.
MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 23,207.05 points, down 126.46 or 0.54 percent.
TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average climbed 1.45 percent to a six-week closing high, with exporters boosted by the dollar's surge against the yen late last week after better-than-expected US jobs data fanned recovery hopes. The Nikkei rose 145.01 points to 10,167.60 after earlier rising as much as 1.8 percent, hitting its highest close since late October.
HONG KONG - Commodities counters led the market lower after gold prices eased. Zijin Mining lost 5.14 percent and Realgold Mining shed 3.14 percent. Aluminum Corp of China was down 2.12 percent and Jiangxi Copper fell 2.6 percent. The benchmark Hang Seng Index was down 0.77 percent or 173.19 points at 22,324.96.
MELBOURNE - Stocks fell 0.55 percent to a one-week closing low as a stronger US dollar weighed on commodities prices and hit miners and gold stocks, and analysts said more volatility could be in store. The S&P/ASX 200 index dropped 25.7 points to 4,676.5, its lowest close since November 27.
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's resource-heavy blue-chip stock index fell to a one-week low, dented by softer metals prices, while the rand was flat against the dollar, recouping earlier losses. The All-share index closed at 27,144.49 points, down 245.82 or 0.90 percent.
