LONDON - Strength in miners helped Britain's top share index to a 0.5 percent rise by close after soaring output figures from Rio Tinto boosted the sector, but retailers fell on weak trading updates.
The FTSE 100 ended 24.72 points higher at 5,498.2 after falling for two days.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST
EUROPE - European equities rose, with drugmakers rising for a second day, banks recovering ground lost in the previous session, and after the European Central Bank held interest rates at 1 percent.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 rose 0.7 percent to a close of 1,063.53 points, gaining for the second straight session.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets
FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,988.88 points, up 25.74 or 0.43 percent.
PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 4,015.77 points, up 14.91 or 0.37 percent.
ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,627.42 points, up 72.87 or 1.11 percent.
MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 24,208.6 points, up 148.96 or 0.62 percent.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei
TOKYO - The Nikkei average booked its highest close in 15 months, buoyed by tech firms such as Panasonic on hopes the upcoming US earnings season will show a rebound in a key market for Japanese manufacturers.
The Nikkei gained 1.6 percent to 10,907.68, its highest finish since October 2008.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng
HONG KONG - Hong Kong shares trimmed gains in volatile trade, falling 0.15 percent as losses by banks amid fears that Beijing will rein in lending offset gains by airlines and consumer stocks.
The Hang Seng Index ended down 31.65 points at 21,716.95, a day after posting its worst one-day percentage loss in six weeks after China tightened bank reserve requirements.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx
SYDNEY - Australian stocks rose 0.6 percent, ending two consecutive days of losses, with strong jobs data pointing to the strength of the economy and rebounding Asian markets adding to buoyant sentiment.
The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 29.9 points to 4,898, almost recouping Wednesday's losses.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's rand weakened against the dollar as nagging concerns about the global economy kept investors wary of high-risk assets, which also saw local stocks giving up earlier gains to close slightly up.
The All-share index closed at 28,141.8 points, up 74.8 or 0.27 percent.
