Around the World's Markets: Frankfurt

THE Xetra Dax index closed 1 per cent higher following a day of volatile and heavy trading influenced by the Dow's rise and "triple witching", the quarterly expiry of futures and options which catapulted some stocks higher as traders piled in ahead of the midsession expiry then sought to cover positions after it.

Deutsche Telecom rose 0.9 per cent after announcing a cut in weekend mobile rates by up to 57 per cent from May, and revealing that its mobile unit's sales had risen 18 per cent last year.