LONDON - Britain's leading share index ended slightly higher, helped by oil producers, which gained on firmer crude prices as US demand recovered, but banks fell after HSBC traded ex-dividend. The FTSE 100 closed up 3.89 points, or 0.1 percent, at 4,689.67.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROFIRST

EUROPE - European equities ended lower after a choppy session, with weaker financial and automobile stocks outpacing a rise in oil and gas shares.

The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed 0.4 percent lower at 931.98. The index is still up almost 44 percent since reaching a lifetime low in March and has gained nearly 12 percent this year.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:EUROmarkets

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 5,231.98 points, down 18.76 or 0.36 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,450.34 points, down 0.35 or 0.01 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 5,980.79 points, up 27.04 or 0.45 percent.

MILAN - The FT IT All Share index closed at 21,626.38 points, down 92.94 or 0.43 percent.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:nikkei

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei stock average fell to a three-week closing low, hit by late sales in futures that dragged the cash market down, along with a slide in Chinese stocks that damaged already shaky investor sentiment.

The Nikkei fell 0.8 percent or 80.96 points to 10,204, its lowest close since late July.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:hang seng

HONG KONG - Hong Kong shares shed 1.7 percent to finish at a one month closing low, taking a cue from a second steep drop on the Shanghai bourse this week, after the mainland authorities failed to make any move to support the sliding stock market.

The Hang Seng Index finished down 352.04 points at 19,954.23, while turnover shrank to HK$64.4 billion from Tuesday's HK471.5 billion.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:asx

SYDNEY - Australian stocks fell 0.2 percent, erasing early gains, after a drop in Chinese stocks rattled regional markets, turning investors cautious on risky assets.

The S&P/ASX 200 index was down 7.8 points to 4,373.8.

@MARKET ROUNDUP:south africa

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's rand fell slightly against the dollar but was off its day's low as risk aversion waned, while local stocks edged higher after a positive open on US equities.

The All-share index closed at 24,259.54 points, up 3.66 or 0.02 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,328.29 points, down 6.19 or 0.27 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 19,054.51 points, up 15.95 or 0.08 percent.