European stock close:

European (SXXP) stocks climbed as mining shares rallied and Alcoa Inc. began the U.S. earnings season with profit that beat analysts’ estimates.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index added 0.2 percent to 288.07 at the close of trading.

German exports fell in February more than economists forecast. Overseas shipments, adjusted for working days and seasonal changes, dropped 1.5 percent from January, when they gained 1.3 percent, the Federal Statistics Office in Wiesbaden said today. Economists forecast a 0.3 percent decline.

National benchmark indexes climbed in 15 of the 18 western European markets.

FTSE 100 6,313.21 +36.27 +0.58% CAC 40 3,670.72 +3.94 +0.11% DAX 7,637.51 -25.13 -0.33%

BHP added 3.5 percent to 1,944 pence and Rio Tinto rallied 4.8 percent to 3,135 pence as copper prices rose 2.3 percent in London. Kazakhmys Plc jumped 5.6 percent to 393.5 pence.

Aurubis AG, the second-largest refined copper producer, gained 6 percent to 48.35 euros, its biggest advance since July 19, after Chief Executive Officer Peter Willbrandt said orders in the U.S. are rebounding and European demand is slowly improving.

Repsol SA advanced 3 percent to 16.53 euros after spokesman Kristian Rix said the Spanish company encountered a 50-meter column of gas in the Sud-Est Illizi block in Algeria.

Lagardere slipped 2.6 percent to 27.79 euros after the Paris-based media company sold 61 million shares, or a 7.4 percent stake, in EADS for about 2.3 billion euros ($3 billion). EADS slid 2.8 percent to 37.62 euros.

Adecco SA, the biggest supplier of temporary workers, retreated 1.8 percent to 49.49 francs. Credit Suisse downgraded the shares to neutral from outperform, citing a slowdown in the U.S. and challenging market conditions in Europe for staffing companies.