EUROPE STOCK EXCHANGE: European shares fell from 4-1/2 year highs set the day before as Wall Street weakened and investors booked profits on the last trading day of a bumper year for European equities.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index, boosted by stronger-than-expected corporate profits and a boom in mergers and acquisitions, finished the year with a gain of about 23 percent - its best annual performance since 1999. The FTSEurofirst 300 closed at 1,275.55 points, down 0.7 percent on the day.
FRANKFURT STOCK EXCHANGE: The DAX index ended at 5,408.26 points, down 50.32 or 0.92 percent and a drop on the week of 10.79 points. Over the last 12 months the index gained 1,152.18 points.
PARIS STOCK EXCHANGE: The CAC-40 index closed at 4,715.23 points, down 57.7 or 1.21 percent, losing 42.51 on the week. Over the year the index gained 894.07.
ZURICH STOCK EXCHANGE: The Swiss market index closed at 7,583.93 points, down 36.03 or 0.47 percent but adding 86.09 since last Friday, up on the year by 1,890.73 points.
MILAN STOCK EXCHANGE: The All Share Mibtel index closed at 26,778 points, down 151 or 0.56 percent, a fall of 65 points in the week. During 2005, the index rose 3,244.
SYDNEY STOCK EXCHANGE: Shares fell as a weak lead from Wall Street and string of recent record highs encouraged traders to book profits on the last trading day of 2005, with the main share index up 712.8 points for the year. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 9.1 points, or 0.19 percent, to close at 4,763.4 - a rise on the week of 35.7 points.
JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE: Banking stocks led the South African bourse lower, but gold firms gained despite softer prices for the metal and a slightly stronger rand. The All-share index lost 0.42 percent or 75.91 points to end the day at 18,096.54, losing 18.12 points in the week, a taking the gains over the past 12 months to 5,439.68.
The All Gold index closed at 2,517.11 points, up 20.45 or 0.82 percent, rising 53.7 points since last weekend and a gain of 952.5 points in 2005. The Industrial index closed at 12,939.35 points, down 96.58 or 0.74 percent, and worse off by 76.53 points in the shortened working week and over the year a gain of 3,136.71.
SEOUL STOCK EXCHANGE: South Korean financial and stock markets are closed on Friday and trading will resume on Monday. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index closed on Thursday at 1,379.37 points, up 54 percent this year.
MANILA STOCK EXCHANGE: Financial markets in the Philippines are closed on Friday for a public holiday. Trading will resume Monday.