LONDON - Falling commodity prices dented miners and energy stocks and banks fell, pushing Britain's top share index 0.6 percent lower, with investors cautious before central bank policy meetings later in the week. The FTSE 100 closed at 5,593.85 points, down 31.8 or 0.57 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European shares closed lower, with miners falling on concern over a potential tightening of China's monetary policy, and with data suggesting fragility in economic recovery.

Banks suffered on worries about US regulation.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares fell 0.7 percent to 1,051.12 points after hitting a seven-week high on Friday. The European benchmark is up more than 62 percent from its lifetime low on March 9, 2009.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,903.56 points, down 41.55 or 0.7 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,890.91 points, down 36.49 or 0.93 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,825.1 points, down 11.5 or 0.17 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 22,870.39 points, down 182.62 or 0.79 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - The Nikkei average inched up to a seven-week closing high, with some exporters climbing on a weaker yen, though profit-taking in recent gainers such as Advantest Corp. tempered the market's rise. The benchmark Nikkei inched 0.72 point higher to 10,751.98, its highest close since January 21. It also hit a seven-week intraday high of 10,808.84 earlier yesterday.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - The Hang Seng Index slid 0.62 percent or 130.64 points to 21,079.10, retreating from a seven-week closing high posted on March 11. "The Hong Kong market was hurt by the weakening mainland stock market

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Stocks fell 0.71 percent, to their lowest level in more than a week, on concerns that China's expected liquidity tightening could cool growth and reduce demand for Australian resources. The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 34.0 points to 4,784.1, its lowest close since March 5.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - South African stocks were pulled down by weaker financial and retail shares, falling in tandem with global equities, while the rand edged weaker against the dollar on a slip in risk appetite. The All-share index closed at 28,032.87 points, down 229.53 or 0.81 percent.