(index / closing price / change items /% change)

Nikkei 15,134.75 +237.12 +1.59%    

Hang Seng 22,702.97 +123.19 +0.55%

Shanghai Composite 2,059.58 +6.49 +0.32%

S&P 1,877.03 +3.22 +0.17%    

NASDAQ 4,352.13 -5.85 -0.13%

Dow 16,421.89 +61.71 +0.38%    

FTSE 6,788.49 +13.07 +0.19%

CAC 4,417.04 +25.79 +0.59%

DAX 9,542.87 +0.85 +0.01%

European stocks were little changed, paring earlier gains, after the European Central Bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index rose less than 0.1 percent to 337.28 at the close of trading in London after earlier gaining as much as 0.6 percent. The gauge, which fell 0.2 percent this week amid tension over Ukraine, is 0.3 percent away from a six-year high reached Feb. 25.

The ECB kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a record low 0.25 percent after better-than-forecast economic data eased the immediate need to cut interest rates. The Bank of England maintained its rate at an all-time low of 0.5 percent and its bond-purchase plan at 375 billion pounds.

A U.S. Labor Department report showed initial jobless claims fell by 26,000 to 323,000 in the week ended March 1. That was fewer than economists had forecast. Factory orders dropped 0.7 percent in January, missing estimates, after declining a revised 2 percent in December, according to separate data.

Benchmark indexes rose in 14 of the 18 markets in western Europe. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 gained 0.2 percent and France’s CAC 40 advanced 0.6 percent. The Swiss Market Index added 0.3 percent, while Germany’s DAX was little changed.

Aggreko climbed 3.5 percent to 1,628 pence. The world’s largest supplier of mobile-power generators said it is giving shareholders 200 million pounds in addition to its ordinary dividend. The company’s 2013 pretax profit of 338 million pounds beat the average analyst estimate for 333 million pounds.

Bouygues jumped 6.6 percent to 30.67 euros. The construction and telecommunications group offered 10.5 billion euros ($14.4 billion) in cash for SFR, a deal that would potentially create a phone carrier rivaling Orange SA. Altice SA, which put in a separate bid, values SFR at about $20 billion through a mixture of debt, cash and equity, people familiar with the matter said.

IMI Plc lost 4.3 percent to 1,481 pence. The engineering company forecast that ">Balfour Beatty Plc sank 7.4 percent to 297.6 pence for the biggest decline since April. Britain’s biggest construction company posted 2013 sales of 8.75 billion pounds, missing the 9.21 billion pounds that analysts had estimated.

Statistics Canada released labour productivity data of Canadian businesses on Friday. The labour productivity of Canadian businesses dropped by 0.1% in the fourth quarter, missing expectations for a 0.2% increase, after a 0.2% rise in the third quarter. The third quarter's figure was revised up from a 0.1% gain.

For 2014 as a whole, the labour productivity in Canadian businesses climbed by 2.5%, the largest annual increase since 2005.

Stocks rose while the yen weakened and bunds dropped as the European Central Bank left interest rates at a record low. 

Global markets:

Nikkei 15,134.75 +237.12 +1.59%

Hang Seng 22,702.97 +123.19 +0.55%

Shanghai Composite 2,059.58 +6.49 +0.32%

FTSE 6,790.51 +15.09 +0.22%

CAC 4,413.81 +22.56 +0.51%

DAX 9,540.86 -1.16 -0.01%

Crude oil $100.89 (-0.55%)

Gold $1335.70 (-0.34%).

European stocks rose moderately , reaching a six-year high, as investors are awaiting a decision on the interest rate of the Bank of England and European Central Bank. Asian stocks and futures on U.S. stock indexes rose .

It is expected that the Bank of England will leave monetary policy settings unchanged. According to the Bank of England inflation report, the Central Bank is going to keep rates at a record - low of 0.5 % at least for another year , even if the unemployment rate falls to 7% threshold - that are expected to occur in Q1 2014 . Bank of England pointed out that the British economy will grow even before the Bank to raise rates . But it is worth noting an increase will occur gradually and not to such a high level , which was celebrated before the crisis.

With regard to the ECB meeting , many experts predict that it also does not bring with it a rise in interest rates. Nevertheless , some believe that during the meeting may discuss some non-standard measures of monetary policy. Recall that last month the ECB head Mario Draghi has once again confirmed its willingness to act if the situation with inflation in the region will continue to deteriorate. ECB President stressed that the Central Bank meeting in March will be crucial to determine additional incentives in support of economic activity in the euro area .

Stoxx Europe 600 index rose 0.4 percent, and is now close to its highest level since January 2008 .

Aggreko cost rose by 8 per cent . The world's largest provider of mobile generators said that will provide £ 200 million to shareholders in addition to the dividend on ordinary shares. It also became known that pre-tax profit in 2013 amounted to 338 million pounds, compared with forecasts at 333 million pounds.

Bouygues shares rose 9 percent . Construction and telecommunications group proposed 10.5 billion euros ($ 14.4 billion ) in cash for SFR. This agreement has the potential to enable a company to compete with Orange SA.

The cost of IMI Plc fell 6.3 percent . Engineering company predicts that the ">Paper Balfour Beatty Plc fell 8.5 percent , showing the biggest decline since April. The biggest UK construction company said that by the end of 2013 the volume of sales was at 8.75 billion pounds, compared with the forecasts in the amount of 9.21 billion pounds .

At the current moment

FTSE 100 6,786.91 +11.49 +0.17%

CAC 40 4,416.85 +25.60 +0.58 %

DAX 9,564.42 +22.40 +0.23%

Asian stocks advanced, with the regional benchmark heading for its highest close in six weeks, as telecommunications companies led gains. Japanese shares rose after the yen weakened and an advisory committee said the world’s largest pension fund doesn’t need a domestic-bond focus.

Nikkei 225 15,134.75 +237.12 +1.59%

S&P/ASX 200 5,445.89 -0.34 -0.01%

Shanghai Composite 2,059.58 +6.49 +0.32%

SoftBank Corp. jumped 4.8 percent in Tokyo as the mobile carrier contributed the most to the regional benchmark’s advance.

Myer Holdings Ltd., Australia’s largest department-store operator, added 1.5 percent in Sydney after the nation’s retail sales in January climbed the most in a year.

Tencent Holdings Ltd., the world’s best-performing major technology stock in the past five years, increased 2 percent in Hong Kong to a record close.