Asian stocks climbed, with the regional benchmark index heading for its biggest gain since December, after European leaders meeting in Brussels agreed to ease repayment rules for Spanish banks and make it easier to recapitalize the region’s troubled lenders.

Nikkei 225 9,006.78 +132.67 +1.50%

S&P/ASX 200 4,094.6 +49.76 +1.23%

Shanghai Composite 2,224.12 +28.27 +1.29%

Westpac Banking Corp. rose 1.5 percent in Sydney as banks provided the biggest support to the Asian benchmark after leaders of the 17 euro countries dropped a requirement that governments get preferred creditor status on crisis loans to Spain’s banks.

Toyota Motor Corp. advanced 2.6 percent, leading gains among Japanese exporters.

BHP Billiton Ltd., the world’s largest mining company, climbed 2.3 percent as metals prices soared.