Major Stock Market Indices Worldwide

BEIJING, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) — The following are the indices of major stock markets worldwide on Thursday. IN ASIA The Shanghai Composite Index opened at 2,723.21 points, up 5.93 points, or 0.22 percent. The Shenzhen Component Index opened at 8,015.39 points, up 23.14 points, or 0.29 percent. The Hang Seng Index opened at 17,633.93 points, down 26.09 points, or 0.15 percent. The S&P/ASX 200 index opened at 8,148.00 points, up 5.90 points, or 0.07 percent. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average opened at 36,958.93 points, up 578.76 points, or 1.59 percent. The Straits Times Index opened at 3,590.30 points, down 2.12 points, or 0.06 percent. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index opened at 2,594.67 points, up 19.26 points, or 0.75 percent. IN THE UNITED STATES The S&P 500 Index closed at 5,618.26 points, down 16.32 points, or 0.29 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 41,503.10 points, down 103.08 points, or 0.25 percent. The Nasdaq Composite Index closed at 17,573.30 points, down 54.76 points, or 0.31 percent. IN EUROPE The DAX Index closed at 18,711.49 points, down 14.59 points, or 0.08 percent. The FTSE 100 Index closed at 8,253.68 points, down 56.18 points, or 0.68 percent. The Paris CAC 40 closed at 7,444.90 points, down 42.52 points, or 0.57 percent.