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Closing stock market indices outside the U.S.

LONDON: Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Monday.

FRANKFURT: Germany's DAX retreated from Friday's two-week high to close lower in thin trade as falling financial and telecom stocks helped put the brakes on an early rally by the car sector fuelled by two cross-border deals. The benchmark DAX index ended down 0.5 percent, or 39.93 points at 7,892.49 points.

PARIS: The Paris Bourse bucked a negative trend on European markets as a slew of French technology stocks soared amid renewed optimism about "new economy" values.

The CAC-40 ended up 86.59 points or 1.36 percent at 6,450.85 points, helped late in the session by the Nasdaq's early surge.

ZURICH: The blue chip Swiss Market Index (SMI) lost 74.4 points or 1.00 percent to end at 7,366.0, after the bourse decided to pause following a recent rally, dealers said.

MILAN: Milan shares closed slightly lower at the end of a drab session featuring exceptionally thin volumes. The all-share Mibtel index fell 0.39 percent or 127 points to 32,819.

AMSTERDAM: A recovery in some technology and telecom stocks was not enough to keep Dutch shares from going under in thin volumes at the close.

The blue-chip AEX index ended off 0.2 percent or 1.36 points at 682.12.

SYDNEY: A lethargic Australian share market drifted to a lower finish with all investor interest focused on corporate moves by flag carrier Qantas Airways and media tycoon Kerry Packer.

The benchmark All Ordinaries index shed 21.8 points or 0.67 percent to close at 3,225.6.

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa's All-Share index ended up 0.4 percent, off its intraday peaks, but held in positive territory by good gains in recently snubbed financial services stocks and still sought-after tech issues.

The All-Share index rose 34.7 or 0.42 percent to 8,243.8, boosted by the Industrial index, which collected 115 points or 1.19 percent to 9,768.8. The Gold index added 15.7 or 1.37 percent to 1,160.6.-Reuters