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European stocks rose to the highest level in three weeks as German economic sentiment improved more than forecast and Danone SA rallied after reporting earnings.

German investor confidence increased to the highest level in almost three years in February. The index of investor and analyst expectations climbed to 48.2 from 31.5 in January, the ZEW Center for European Economic Research said. That exceeded the median estimate of economists in a survey calling for an increase to 35.

National benchmark indexes advanced in all 18 western European markets, except Iceland. Germany’s DAX jumped 1.6 percent and France’s CAC 40 surged 1.9 percent. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 climbed 1 percent to a five-year high.

Danone jumped 5.9 percent to 53.15 euros as the company said it plans to cut 900 jobs in Europe after 2012 profitability declined on weak consumption in southern Europe. Fourth-quarter net income from continuing operations rose to 1.82 billion euros, in line with the 1.81 billion-euro average analyst estimate in a survey.

Bayer rose 2.50 euros to 71.79 euros after saying it began a Phase-3 trial of the Eylea injection, along with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. The trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the drug in treating Diabetic Macular Edema in Russia, China and other Asian countries, the companies said.

Vodafone dropped 2 percent to 163.5 pence after Bernstein lowered its recommendation on the shares to underperform, the equivalent of sell, from market perform. The European assets of the world’s second-largest wireless carrier will shrink by 23 percent in the next three years as the company faces “structural decline,” analysts led by Robin Bienenstock wrote in a report.

Nobel Biocare Holding AG fell 3.2 percent to 9.61 Swiss francs after Chief Executive Officer Richard Laube said markets will remain difficult in the short term. The world’s second- biggest maker of dental implants reported fourth-quarter net income of 11.2 million euros, exceeding the average analyst estimate of 9.55 million euros.

Shares of Office Depot Inc. and OfficeMax Inc. advanced as a person familiar with the matter said the companies have discussed a merger and may announce a deal as early as this week.

Global Stocks:

Downgrade:
Wal-Mart (WMT) downgraded to Sell from Neutral at Oracle Investment Research

Other:
3M (MMM) added to US 1 List at BofA/Merrill  

Growth responded major stock indexes in Europe on positive data on the index business sentiment from the institute ZEW. Both Germany and the Eurozone as a whole is significantly higher than analysts' forecasts (Germany 48.2 in February, the forecast 35.3, 42.4 euro zone, the forecast 35.5 points).

However, data from the Bureau of Eurostat, showed a decline in construction in December, accelerating the pace compared to the previous month.

According to the data, annualized construction output decreased by 4.8% after falling 4.7% in November and 3.3% in October.

FTSE 100 6,342.28 +24.09 +0.38%

DAX 7,691.23 +62.50 +0.82%

CAC 3,702.66 +36.09 +0.97%

Paper Danone SA added 4.7% to the cost. World's largest dairy proischvoditel announced plans to cut about 900 jobs in Europe in the next two years to cope with the "sharp deterioration in the general consumer demand" in the region and to support a gradual increase in sales in 2013.

Stock quotes Nobel Biocare Holding AG, a global manufacturer of dental equipment, fell in price by 3.3%.

Nobel Biocare's net profit in the fourth quarter of last year fell to 11.2 million euros from 13.3 million euros a year earlier, but exceeded the average forecast of experts at 9.5 million euros. In the company's announcement marked the expectations preservation difficult operating conditions in the short term.

Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index trading near its highest close in 18 months, as Bridgestone Corp. surged by the most in four years on better- than-expected profit.

Nikkei 225 11,372.34 -35.53 -0.31%

Hang Seng 23,143.91 -238.03 -1.02%

S&P/ASX 200 5,081.9 +18.48 +0.36%

Bridgestone, the world’s biggest tiremaker, soared 10 percent in Tokyo, to the highest close since 2006.

Gree Inc., a Japanese social-network website operator, rose 2.7 percent on a share-buyback plan.

Nissan Motor Co., a Japanese carmaker that gets 79 percent of its revenue abroad, fell 1.1 percent as the yen strengthened after Finance Minister Taro Aso ruled out foreign bond buying.

Sands China Ltd. paced declines among casino operators in Hong Kong on a report Macau gaming revenue missed estimates.

Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index near an 18-month high, as Japanese shares rallied after the Group of 20 nations refrained from censuring the nation’s policies that have weakened the yen.

Nikkei 225 11,407.87 +234.04 +2.09%

Hang Seng 23,381.94 -62.62 -0.27%

S&P/ASX 200 5,063.42 +29.50 +0.59%

Shanghai Composite 2,421.56 -10.84 -0.45%

Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s biggest carmaker, rose 1.3 percent as the yen fell, boosting the earnings prospects for Japanese exporters.

Li & Fung Ltd., a supplier of toys and clothes to Wal-Mart Stores Inc., lost 1.4 percent in Hong Kong as internal e-mails showed the U.S. retailer had the worst sales start to a month in seven years as payroll-tax increases hit shoppers.

BlueScope Steel Ltd. surged 15 percent after Australia’s largest steelmaker reported a smaller net loss.

European stocks retreated for a third day as companies including Carlsberg A/S missed earnings estimates and European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said he sees risks to the euro area’s recovery.

Draghi said that while he expects economic weakness at the beginning of the year to be followed by a “very gradual” recovery later in 2013, risks remain to the economic outlook for the euro region. “They relate to the possibility of weaker than expected domestic demand and exports, slow implementation of structural reforms in the euro area, as well as geopolitical issues and imbalances in major industrialised countries,” he told lawmakers in the European Parliament in Brussels. “These factors have the potential to dampen the ongoing improvement in confidence and thereby delay the recovery.”

Global finance chiefs signaled Japan has scope to keep stimulating its economy as long as policy makers cease publicly advocating a sliding yen. The message was delivered at weekend talks of finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 in Moscow.

National benchmark index fell in 14 of the 18 western- European markets. France’s CAC 40 added 0.2 percent, while the U.K.’s FTSE 100 slipped 0.2 percent. Germany’s DAX gained 0.5 percent.

Carlsberg tumbled 5.8 percent to 567.50 kroner. Fourth- quarter earnings advanced to 2.15 billion kroner ($384 million) from 1.83 billion kroner in the same period a year earlier, Carlsberg said. That compares with the 2.28 billion-kroner median estimate of analysts. The Danish owner of Russia’s biggest brewer forecast annual earnings before interest, tax and some one-time items will be about 10 billion kroner. It reported profit on the same basis of 9.8 billion kroner for 2012.

Natixis jumped 22 percent to 3.48 euros after the investment-banking unit of France’s second-largest lender by branches said it will make a payment to shareholders after selling back stakes in its parent’s banking networks. Natixis plans to sell holdings valued at 12.1 billion euros to French regional lenders Banques Populaires and Caisses d’Epargne, which jointly form its parent, Groupe BPCE.

Change % Change Last

Nikkei 225 11,407.87 +234.04 +2.09%

Hang Seng 23,381.94 -62.62 -0.27%

S&P/ASX 200 5,063.42 +29.50 +0.59%

Shanghai Composite 2,421.56 -10.84 -0.45%

CAC 40 3,667.04 +6.67 +0.18%

DAX 7,628.73 +35.22 +0.46%

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Nasdaq Closed

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