LONDON - Stronger miners and banks outweighed falls from defensive stocks to leave Britain's top share index slightly higher by the close, while BSkyB gained after an expected pay-TV review from Ofcom. The FTSE 100 closed at 5,679.64 points, up 7.32 or 0.13 percent.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST
EUROPE - European shares edged lower as disappointing US economic data ahead of Friday's crucial jobs numbers prompted investors to trade cautiously, but the market still posted its fourth consecutive quarter of gains.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed 0.1 percent lower at 1,078.58 points after rising as high as 1,083.66. It hit an 18-month high on Tuesday.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets
FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 6,153.55 points, up 11.1 or 0.18 percent.
PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,974.01 points, down 13.4 or 0.34 percent.
ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 6,873.37 points, up 1.95 or 0.03 percent.
MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 23,368.38 points, down 145.61 or 0.62 percent.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei
TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average hit an 18-month intraday high before paring gains, the final day of the financial year, but further gains were expected in the new quarter as a global economic recovery picks up strength. The benchmark Nikkei inched down 7.2 points to close at 11,089.94 after rising as far as 11,147.62, its highest intraday level in about 18 months.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng
HONG KONG - Stocks retreated from a two-week closing high to fall 0.63 percent, weighed down by HSBC after the US government decided to sell its stake in Citigroup.
The Hang Seng Index closed 135.44 points lower at 21,239.35, snapping a three-session gaining streak.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx
SYDNEY - Shares fell 0.84 percent on disappointing retail sales data and ended the first quarter of the year flat, but analysts expect that better profit growth should support gains in the quarter ahead. The S&P/ASX 200 index closed down 41.3 points at 4,875.5.
@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa
JOHANNESBURG - South African stocks ended the last trading day of the first quarter little changed but insurer Metropolitan skyrocketed on news that it will merge with FirstRand's insurance arm Momemtum.
The All-share index closed at 28,747.56 points, up 12.3 or 0.04 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,206.11 points, up 13.18 or 0.6 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 22,329.99 points, down 37.08 or 0.17 percent.
