EUROPE STOCK EXCHANGE: European shares finished slightly weaker as a forecast cut from Deutsche Telekom weighed on the telecoms sector and vied with positive earnings and merger news to dominate investor sentiment. Deutsche Telekom fell 2.5 percent in heavy volumes as its lowered guidance due to big investment plans combined with worries about increased competition for its mobile unit.
But upbeat results from companies such as German chemical giant Bayer and Italian oil and gas firm Eni, as well as more merger speculation, like that centred on Dutch mail group TNT, limited market losses. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of leading European shares closed down 0.11 percent at 1,225.3 points, a small step back after last week's 4 percent gain, while interest rate worries persist.
FRANKFURT STOCK EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 5,011.38 points, up 2.55 or 0.05 percent.
PARIS STOCK EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4,480.23 points, down 23.39 or 0.52 percent.
ZURICH STOCK EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 7,236.31 points, down 21.17 or 0.29 percent.
MILAN STOCK EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 25,536 points, up 34 or 0.13 percent.
SYDNEY STOCK EXCHANGE: Shares retreated from five-week highs after a downbeat outlook from the nation's top bank, National Australia, hurt investor sentiment. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index fell 28.4 points, or 0.62 percent, to 4,526.1
JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE: Gold Fields and Anglo Platinum shares lifted blue chip stocks thanks to higher metal prices, while Highveld powered the midcaps on Mittal SA take-over talk. The All-share index closed at 16,818.89 points, up 29.54 or 0.18 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,081.06 points, up 40.02 or 1.96 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 12,342.96 points, up 45.96 or 0.37 percent.