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European stocks declined as Italy’s inconclusive parliamentary election renewed concern that the Mediterranean nation will dilute its austerity program and the region’s sovereign-debt crisis will deepen.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index (SXXP) fell 1.3 percent to 284.60 at the close of trading, the biggest loss since Feb. 21.

Confidence among U.S. consumers rebounded more than forecast in February from its weakest level since November 2011. The Conference Board’s index increased to 69.6 from a revised 58.4 in January. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of 76 economists called for a gain to 62.

National benchmark indexes dropped in all 18 western European markets, except Ireland and Denmark.

FTSE 100 6,270.44 -84.93 -1.34% CAC 40 3,621.92 -99.41 -2.67% DAX 7,597.11 -176.08 -2.27%

Telecom Italia plunged 7.3 percent to 55 euro cents, the lowest price since August 1997.

SEB SA dropped 3.5 percent to 58.94 euros after reporting full-year net income of 194.2 million euros ($254 million), missing the average analyst estimate for 206.6 million euros.

BASF lost 4.5 percent to 71.66 euros, the sharpest decrease since April. Earnings before interest, tax and one-time items increased 18 percent to 1.8 billion euros in the fourth quarter, the company said today. That missed the median analyst estimate of 1.83 billion euros.

William Demant Holding A/S (WDH), a maker of hearing aids, dropped 5.6 percent to 454.90 kroner, its largest retreat since Aug. 16. The Smorum, Denmark-based company said it expects 2013 Ebit to exceed last year’s 1.65 billion ($290 million) kroner. Analysts had estimated profit of 1.99 billion kroner.

Pandora A/S added 3.8 percent to 149 kroner. The Nordic region’s biggest jewelry maker announced a plan to buy back 700 million kroner of shares this year, equal to 3.6 percent of its current market value.

U.S. stock futures climbed after better-than-expected earnings results from retailers Home Depot (HD).

Investors are awaiting on testimony of Fed Chairman Bernanke before the Senate Banking Committee. Mr. Bernanke is expected to face tough questions about asset purchases and the Fed's ability to manage the withdrawal from quantitative easing. The presumption ahead of his testimony is that he will walk a dovish line that is supportive for equity prices.

Global Stocks:

European stocks declined as Italy’s inconclusive parliamentary election renewed concern that the Mediterranean nation will dilute its austerity program and the region’s sovereign-debt crisis will deepen.

Election results in Rome showed pre-election favorite Pier Luigi Bersani won the lower house by less than a half a point. Silvio Berlusconi, the former premier who has vowed to reverse austerity measures, won a blocking minority in the Senate. An Italian government requires a majority in both houses.

The group headed by Beppo Grillo, who also opposes crisis- fighting measures, got 25 percent support. Berlusconi and Grillo scored about 55 percent of the popular vote. The result may lead President Giorgio Napolitano to install an interim government to write a new election law as the prelude to another vote.

Italian 10-year bond yields climbed 26 basis points, or 0.26 percentage point, to 4.75 percent. That is the yield’s biggest advance since Dec. 10.

Italian stocks were the top 10 decliners on the Stoxx 600 index as UniCredit SpA, Intesa Sanpaolo SpA, Banco Popolare SC and Unione di Banche Italiane SCPA all sank more than 7 percent.

Telecom Italia plunged 5.7 percent to 55.8 euro cents, the lowest price since August 1997. Credit-default swaps insuring investors against a default by the Milan-based company climbed 29 basis points to 358, the highest in five months and the biggest same-day move since Jan. 14.

SEB dropped 3.5 percent to 58.94 euros after saying full- year net income was 194.2 million euros ($254 million) last year, missing the average analyst estimate for 206.6 million euros.

BASF lost 1.92 euros to 73.09 euros. Earnings before interest, tax and one-time items increased 18 percent to 1.8 billion euros in the fourth quarter, the company said today. That missed the median analyst estimate of 1.83 billion euros.

FTSE 100 6,268.13 -87.24 -1.37%

CAC 40 3,640.47 -80.86 -2.17%

Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark index poised to slide for the first time in three days, on concern Italy’s elections may reignite Europe’s debt crisis. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index erased its gains this year on a report Beijing may introduce more property curbs.

Nikkei 225 11,398.81 -263.71 -2.26%

Hang Seng 22,519.69 -300.39 -1.32%

S&P/ASX 200 5,003.57 -52.20 -1.03%

Shanghai Composite 2,293.34 -32.48 -1.40%

Sony Corp., a Japanese consumer electronics maker that gets a fifth of its revenue in Europe, lost 3.7 percent.

Shimao Property Holdings Ltd. sank 4.8 percent in Hong Kong.

Hanwha Life Insurance Co. plunged 9.8 percent in Seoul after Hanwha Chemical Corp. sold its shares.

Global Logistic Properties Ltd. slumped 6.9 percent in Singapore after a sovereign wealth fund in the city-state said it’s selling a stake in the biggest owner of industrial properties in Japan.

Change % Change Last

Nikkei 225 11,662.52 +276.58 +2.43%

S&P/ASX 200 5,055.77 +37.62 +0.75%

Shanghai Composite 2,325.82 +11.66 +0.50%

CAC 40 3,721.33 +15.05 +0.41%

DAX 7,773.19 +111.28 +1.45%

Dow -216.56 13,784.01 -1.55%

Nasdaq -45.57 3,116.25 -1.44%

S&P -27.75 1,487.85 -1.83%