LONDON - Britain's top shares rose 3.1 percent to hit a one-week high, with oil stocks the standout gainers led by BP as it was making progress in plugging a well which has been leaking in the Gulf of Mexico for five weeks. The FTSE 100 closed at 5,195.17 points, up 157.09 or 3.12 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares closed above the 1,000 mark for the first time in just over a week as investor confidence was lifted after China denied a report it would review its euro zone bond holdings. Banks, which have been heavily hit by concerns about Europe's debt crisis, extended gains from the previous session to feature among the top risers. HSBC, Barclays and BNP Paribas rose 2.6 to 4.5 percent. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed up 2.9 percent at 1,000.46 points its highest close in over a week.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROpean markets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,937.14 points, up 179.12 or 3.11 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,525.31 points, up 116.72 or 3.42 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,305.18 points, up 137.65 or 2.23 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 20,216.19 points, up 833.54 or 4.30 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average came off a six-month low to jump 1.2 percent in its best one-day performance in two weeks, with a weakening of the yen against the euro helping counter persistent worry about Europe's debt crisis. The Nikkei rose 117.06 points to 9,639.72 after earlier falling as low as 9,395.29.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Hong Kong shares reversed early losses to post gains as a move by China's central bank to inject funds into the banking system lifted sentiment and as technical factors prompted selective buying on the bourses. The Hang Seng index rose 1.22 percent to 19,431.37, closing above its February low near 19,400 that was cited by traders in recent weeks as a key level to watch.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Australian shares rose 1.6 percent, led by miners on hopes the government would water down a proposed resources tax. The S&P/ASX 200 index climbed 71.97 points, adding to the one percent rise on Wednesday, to end at 4,379.16.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's rand gained more than two percent against the dollar and local stocks climbed in line with global markets on favourable risk appetite. The All-share index closed at 27,449.74 points, up 402.23 or 1.49 percent.