LONDON - Britain's top shares rose 0.52 percent, led by banks and echoing gains on Wall Street as US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke assuaged fears of an earlier than expected interest rate rise. The FTSE 100 ended 27.83 points higher at 5,342.92 buoyed by the Fed chairman's statement and after it had closed 0.7 percent lower the previous session.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares closed higher, with banks gaining, helped by US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke saying interest rates would remain at very low levels for a long time. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares rose 0.2 percent to close at 1,013.66 points, after going in and out of positive territory several times, and after falling 1.1 percent in the previous session.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,615.51 points, up 11.44 or 0.2 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,715.68 points, up 8.62 or 0.23 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,687.95 points, up 38.86 or 0.58 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 21,842.35 points, up 104.11 or 0.48 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei stock average fell 1.48 percent, with exporters hit by a stronger yen and after a sharp drop in US consumer sentiment dented investor confidence in the global economy. The Nikkei lost 153.27 points to 10,198.83.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Shares fell 0.75 percent as renewed concerns about the global economy prompted investors to book gains after a sharp two-day rally, with Lenovo leading the retreat on news of a share sale. The Hang Seng Index ended down 155.26 points at 20,467.74, after hitting its highest close in nearly three weeks on Tuesday.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Stocks declined 1.48 percent, the steepest fall in more than two weeks, as investors took profits after weak U.S. data heightened nerves about the global economic recovery. The S&P/ASX 200 index lost 69.8 points to 4,648.5.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's government bonds gained on a lower than expected power price increase that cast the inflation outlook in a brighter light, while the rand firmed slightly after the dollar slipped. The All-share index closed at 26,933.08 points, down 122.42 or 0.45 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,152.59 points, down 24.41 or 1.12 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 21,263.33 points, down 42.78 or 0.2 percent.