European stocks and U.S. stocks closed higher for the fourth straight day Friday as crude oil prices climbed and official data showed jobs growth in February was stronger than economists' expected. The world's largest economy added 242,000 jobs last month, and the unemployment rate stayed at 4.9%. Investors world-wide look to the report as the labor market is a key consideration of the Federal Reserve's in deciding monetary policy.

Chinese shares rose Monday after authorities mapped plans to buoy growth even as they try to steer the economy toward a new quarter-century-low growth target this year. Investors appeared to focus on China's message of economic growth during the opening of the National People's Congress (NPC) last Saturday, rather than its outlines for painful layoffs as it moves to cut excess production in steel and coal industries.

Based on MarketWatch materials