LONDON - Gains from banks and energy stocks outweighed weaker miners to leave Britain's top share index slightly higher by the close, as anxiety about debt-plagued Greece eased, supporting risk appetite. The FTSE 100 closed at 5,777.65 points, up 6.67 or 0.12 percent.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST
EUROPE - European shares ended flat, with banks gaining after a rescue package for Greece helped soothed some nerves over Athens' debt problems, while miners fell as metals prices retreated from earlier highs.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed flat at 1,101.44 points after rising to 1,105.08 - its highest in more than 18 months. The index closed 1.3 percent higher on Friday, notching up its sixth straight week of gains.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets
FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 6,250.69 points, up 0.99 or 0.02 percent.
PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 4,050.5 points, down 0.04 or zero percent.
ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,910.96 points, up 21.99 or 0.32 percent.
MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 23,804.06 points, up 170.01 or 0.72 percent.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei
TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.4 percent after better-than-expected US wholesale inventories underscored a recovery in the US economy, while ad agency Dentsu surged on improved earnings guidance. The Nikkei rose 47.56 points to 11,251.9.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng
HONG KONG - Hong Kong stocks slipped 0.32 percent as investors sold shares of Chinese banks such as CCB after the country's top banking regulator ordered banks to take fresh steps to rein in risky lending to land developers. The Hang Seng Index pulled back from a three-month closing high to close 70.33 points lower at 22,138.17.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx
SYDNEY - Australian stocks rose 0.7 percent, with investors encouraged by an emergency aid plan for Greece, a brighter mood on Wall Street, booming iron ore demand and mining takeovers activity at home. The S&P/ASX 200 index gained 36.17 points to close at a fresh 18-month high of 4,984.26.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa
JOHANNESBURG - South African stocks were slightly lower, with losses across all sectors as investors took profit after recent gains, while the rand traded close to previous closing levels against the dollar in a largely lacklustre session.
The All-share index closed at 29,210.09 points, down 147.41 or 0.5 percent.
The All Gold index closed at 2,331.35 points, down 28.88 or 1.22 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 22,522.78 points, down 58.8 or 0.26 percent.
