European stocks close

European (SXXP) stocks climbed to their highest in more than 22 months, as U.S. reports showed employers added more workers in December and the services industry expanded more than forecast.

ThromboGenics NV added 3.3 percent after confirming the launch date for its Jetrea vision restoration treatment. Fresnillo Plc (FRES), the world’s biggest primary silver producer, slid 4 percent after UBS AG downgraded the shares. Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) lost 4.1 percent as the price of the metal fell.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index advanced 0.4 percent to 287.83 at the close of trading, its highest since February 2011. The gauge rose 3.3 percent this week.

National benchmark indexes rose in 14 of the 18 western European markets.

FTSE 100 6,089.84 +42.50 +0.70% CAC 40 3,730.02 +8.85 +0.24% DAX 7,776.37 +19.93 +0.26%

Bankia SA (BKIA), the lender that received the largest Spanish bailout, surged 49 percent to 61.5 euro cents, for the biggest gain on the Stoxx 600.

Sonova Holding AG (SOON) advanced 2.9 percent to 107.7 Swiss francs after Bank of America’s Merrill Lynch unit upgraded the maker of hearing health-care products to buy from neutral.

Fresnillo slid 4 percent to 1,810 pence after UBS downgraded the shares to neutral from buy, saying the stock has outperformed silver and its peers. The price of the metal today fell to its lowest since August.

Randgold Resources, a gold producer in West Africa, lost 4.1 percent to 5,975 pence as the price of metal dropped. A gauge of commodity-company shares fell 0.9 percent, for the worst performance of the 19 industry groups on the Stoxx 600.

Marks & Spencer Group Plc (MKS), the U.K.’s biggest clothing retailer, retreated 3.1 percent to 376.4 pence. Nomura Holdings Inc. lowered its 2013 pre-tax estimates for the retailer to 666 million pounds ($1.07 billion) from 694 million pounds, citing a fall in general merchandise sales.