European stocks advanced for the first time in four days as investors weighed data that showed U.S. services-industries growth accelerated while employers in the world’s largest economy hired fewer workers than estimated.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index added 0.1 percent to 318.04 at the close. The gauge declined 5.5 percent from a Jan. 22 high through yesterday as the Federal Reserve announced the second installment of a reduction in monthly bond purchases and emerging-market currencies tumbled.

The service industry in the U.S. grew at a faster pace last month, after expanding in December at the slowest rate since July 2012, the Institute for Supply Management said today. The group’s non-manufacturing index increased to 54 in January from 53 in December. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey called for a reading of 53.7.

Companies in the U.S. increased payrolls by 175,000 in January, figures from the ADP Research Institute in Roseland, New Jersey, showed. That missed the median projection of 40 economists surveyed by Bloomberg that called for an advance of 185,000. Estimates ranged from gains of 125,000 to 241,000.

National benchmark indexes rose in 14 of the 18 western European markets today. France’s CAC 40 added less than 0.1 percent. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 climbed 0.1 percent. Germany’s DAX slid 0.1 percent.

GlaxoSmithKline added 1.6 percent to 1,579.5 pence after saying revenue will rise 2 percent and earnings per share excluding currency swings and some items will increase by 4 percent to 8 percent in 2014.

Swatch increased 3.9 percent to 553.50 Swiss francs after saying 2013 operating income rose 17 percent to 2.31 billion francs ($2.55 billion). That exceeded the 2.07 billion-franc average estimate of analysts in a Bloomberg survey. The biggest maker of Swiss watches said it got more than 400 million francs in compensation from Tiffany & Co. over a failed alliance.

Handelsbanken advanced 3 percent to 318.40 kronor, its biggest increase since Oct. 22. The Swedish lender proposed a total dividend of 16.50 kronor per share, comprising a special dividend of 5 kronor and a regular dividend of 11.50 kronor. That compares with a payout of 10.75 kronor per share a year earlier and a Bloomberg dividend projection of 11.50 kronor.

Alfa Laval AB gained 4.6 percent to 162.80 kronor, its biggest advance in one year. The largest maker of heat exchangers posted fourth-quarter order intake of 8.17 billion kronor ($1.25 billion), compared with 7.45 billion kronor in the third quarter. Commerzbank AG said in a note the order intake beat analysts’ estimates for the first time since the second quarter of 2012.

U.S. stock-index futures fluctuated, as a private report showed companies added fewer jobs than forecast.

Global markets:

Nikkei 14,180.38 +171.91 +1.23%

Hang Seng 21,269.38 -128.39 -0.60%

Shanghai Composite 2,033.08 -16.83 -0.82%

FTSE 6,473.2 +23.93 +0.37 %

CAC 4,125.16 +7.71 +0.19 %

DAX 9,126.93 -0.98 -0.01 %

Crude oil: $97.68 (+0.50%)

Gold $1267.50 (+1.30%).

European stocks rose slightly , interrupted in this case a series of three-day decline, as shares in banks and financial service companies rose . U.S. index futures are little changed, while Asian shares outside Japan fell .

The course of trade also affected data for the euro area , which showed that the private sector has quickened in January , while reaching the highest levels in the last two and a half growth, rapid growth of production eclipsed the more modest expansion in the services sector . According to the report , the final composite purchasing managers index from Markit, which measures business activity in the manufacturing sector and in the service sector , rose to 52.9 in January from 52.1 in the previous month . It was the highest result since June 2011 . Nevertheless , the final assessment was slightly pre - 53.2 at .

The data also showed that the index of business activity in the services sector rose to a four-month high in January - to the level of 51.6 from 51.9 . However , this result was below the pre-assessment at the level of 51.9 .

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index rose 0.4 percent.

The dynamics of the indices also affect expectations publication employment report from ADP. According to economists' forecasts , the number of employees increased by 191 million in January , compared with an increase of 238 thousand a month earlier.

Shares of Alfa Laval AB showed the largest increase since July 2011 - by 5.05 % , after the publication of the report for the fourth quarter , which exceeded estimates .

Cost of Swatch Group AG rose 4.8 percent after reporting an annual profit that was higher than the estimates of economists.

At the current moment

FTSE 100 6,467.68 +18.41 +0.29 %

CAC 40 4,123.96 +6.51 +0.16 %

DAX 9,115.39 -12.52 -0.14%

Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index rebounding from its biggest slump since June, after U.S. shares advanced and Japanese companies posted earnings that cheered investors.

Nikkei 225 14,180.38 +171.91 +1.23%

S&P/ASX 200 5,070.31 -26.75 -0.52%

Shanghai Composite Closed

Panasonic Corp. surged 19 percent, its largest gain in almost 40 years of trading, after Japan’s biggest consumer-electronics maker posted third-quarter profit that beat analyst estimates.

Hyundai Development Co-Engineering & Construction gained 8.2 percent in Seoul after the homebuilder’s rating was raised at KTB Securities Co.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. sank 4.3 percent as markets reopened in Taipei after the Lunar New Year holiday.

Nikkei 225 14,008.4 -610.66 -4.18%

Hang Seng 21,479.52 -555.90 -2.52%

S&P/ASX 200 5,097.07 -90.85 -1.75%

Shanghai Composite Closed

FTSE 100 6,449.27 -16.39 -0.25%

CAC 40 4,117.45 +9.70 +0.24%

DAX 9,127.91 -58.61 -0.64%

Dow 15,445.24 +72.44 +0.47%

Nasdaq 4,031.52 +34.56 +0.86%

S&P 500 1,755.20 +13.31 +0.76%