Major stock indexes in Europe increased

European stocks advanced to a one- week high as trading resumed after a four-day weekend and investors awaited a report that may show factory orders in America gained. U.S. index futures rose while Asian shares were little changed.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index (SXXP) climbed 0.7 percent to 295.74 at 10 a.m. in London. The gauge soared 5 percent in the first quarter as U.S. lawmakers agreed on a compromise budget and optimism grew that central banks around the world will continue stimulus measures to support economic recovery.

Vodafone rose 4.1 percent to 194.15 pence as the Financial Times cited talk that Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc. are working on a breakup bid for the U.K. group. A measure of European telecommunications companies advanced the most of the 19 industry groups on the Stoxx 600.

FirstGroup, an international passenger company with bus and rail operations, advanced 7.5 percent to 216.2 pence. Bank of America upgraded the shares to buy from underperform, citing the fading probability of equity raising and projecting a 20 percent upside on the shares.

ICAP, the world’s largest broker of transactions between banks, gained 7.9 pence to 313.4 pence as Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. said it will buy eSpeed, the electronic trading system for U.S. Treasuries, from BGC Partners Inc. for about $750 million in cash.

Hellenic Bank, Cyprus’ third-largest lender, fell 3 euro cents to 13.4 cents.

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA slumped 10 percent to 16.6 euro cents after it reported a third straight quarterly loss, missing analysts’ estimates, on soaring bad-loan provisions and lower income from lending.

At the moment:

FTSE 100 6,466.72 +54.98 +0.86%

CAC 40 3,754.54 +23.12 +0.62%

DAX 7,848.78 +53.47 +0.69%