European stocks close:

European (SXXP) stocks advanced as Spain’s borrowing costs fell at a debt sale, while investors awaited bilateral meetings between the leaders of euro-area countries to gauge their progress in tackling the fiscal crisis.

The Stoxx 600 climbed 0.4 percent to 272.58 at the close of trading.

National benchmark indexes gained in every western-European market except Denmark.

FTSE 100 5,857.52 +33.15 +0.57% CAC 40 3,513.28 +32.70 +0.94% DAX 7,089.32 +55.64 +0.79%

In the U.S., house sales and durable-goods orders probably increased in July, economists said before reports this week.

Rio Tinto, the world’s third-largest mining company, gained 2.1 percent to 3,062.5 pence and BHP Billiton added 1.5 percent to 1,980 pence after copper prices climbed in London. A gauge of mining stocks listed on the Stoxx 600 rose 1.7 percent.

Julius Baer Group AG climbed 3.1 percent to 32.36 Swiss francs after the company said late yesterday it will reduce its rights offer to 500 million francs ($519 million) from 750 million francs.

Barclays Plc (BARC) gained 3.2 percent to 197.1 pence after saying it has started talks with South Africa’s Absa Group Ltd. to merge their African units. The combination would affect the banks’ assets in Kenya, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania and Ghana, according to a statement. Barclays bought 54 percent of Absa in 2005 for $4.5 billion.

Straumann plunged 13 percent to 108.80 francs, its lowest price since April 2003. The world’s biggest maker of dental implants reported first-half Ebit of 53.3 million francs, missing the average analyst estimate of 59.3 million francs. The company said it does not expect demand to recover in Europe in the short term.

Nobel Biocare Holding AG (NOBN), the world’s second-largest maker of dental implants, slipped 1.1 percent to 9.17 francs.

Telekom Austria AG (TKA) slid 3.9 percent to 6.45 euros, its lowest price since May 2001.