European stocks close:

European stocks climbed the most in a month amid speculation that China and the euro area will do more to stimulate global economic growth.

China plans to speed up approval of infrastructure projects and allocate construction funding faster to aid growth, the China Securities Journal reported.

Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, said she may disagree with France’s President, Francois Hollande, on how to tackle the sovereign-debt crisis at a meeting on May 23.

Germany will consider all ideas on bolstering euro-area growth, Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said as he and his French counterpart, Pierre Moscovici, met.

National benchmark indexes climbed in 16 of the 18 western- European markets. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 and France’s CAC 40 advanced 1.9 percent. Germany’s DAX increased 1.7 percent.

Vodafone gained 4.2 percent to 172 pence. Europe’s largest mobile-phone company said fourth-quarter service revenue excluding currency swings and acquisitions increased 2.3 percent. It rose 0.9 percent in the previous quarter. Analysts had estimated growth of 1.7 percent.

Sonova tumbled 9.9 percent to 84.10 francs. The maker of Phonak hearing aids reported full-year earnings that missed analysts’ estimates as the strength of the Swiss franc reduced the value of sales from outside its domestic market.