LONDON - Britain's leading share index closed down 0.1 percent, weighed by weakness in oils and banks, and as U.S. housing data pointed to a sluggish economic recovery, with pharmaceuticals stocks limiting losses. The FTSE 100 closed at 4,230.02 points, down 4.03 or 0.10 percent.

EUROPE - European shares fell to their lowest close in nearly six weeks, with financials suffering most, and with home sales data in the United States casting further doubt on the strength of the economic recovery.

The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares fell 0.4 percent to 833.67 points, the lowest close since May 13. But it is still up more than 29 percent from its lifetime low of March 9.

The heavyweight banking and insurance sectors suffered from the renewed pessimism on economic recovery.

FRANKFURT - The DAX index ended at 4,707.15 points, up 13.75 or 0.29 percent.

PARIS - The CAC-40 index closed at 3,116.82 points, down 6.43 or 0.21 percent.

ZURICH - The Swiss market index closed at 5,321.31 points, up 10.94 or 0.21 percent.

MILAN - The FT Italian All Share index closed at 19,152.85, down 98.43 or 0.51 percent.

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average fell 2.8 percent after investors rattled by falls in overseas markets and worry about the global economy moved to unload riskier assets. The Nikkei lost 276.66 points to 9,549.61.

HONG KONG - Hong Kong shares retreated 2.9 percent to a one-month low spurred by lower energy and metals prices as doubts swirled about the pace of still nascent global economic recovery. The Hang Seng Index finished down 521.18 points at 17,538.37.

SYDNEY - Australian shares shed 3.1 percent to finish at a near four-week low as investors turned doubtful about the strength of a world economic recovery, selling mining stocks such as BHP Billiton. The S&P/ASX 200 index dropped 121.3 points to 3,796.9, more than erasing gains of the past two sessions.

JOHANNESBURG - South African stocks slipped after global markets swooned on recovery worries and local banks FirstRand and Absa issued downbeat profit forecasts. The All-share index closed at 21,842.45 points, down 98.89 or 0.45 percent. The All Gold index closed at 2,322.85 points, down 40.77 or 1.72 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 17,212.81 points, up 0.55 or 0.00 percent.