European (SXXP) stocks climbed as mining shares rallied and Alcoa Inc. began the U.S. earnings season with profit that beat analysts’ estimates.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index added 0.2 percent to 288.07 at the close of trading.

German exports fell in February more than economists forecast. Overseas shipments, adjusted for working days and seasonal changes, dropped 1.5 percent from January, when they gained 1.3 percent, the Federal Statistics Office in Wiesbaden said today. Economists forecast a 0.3 percent decline.

National benchmark indexes climbed in 15 of the 18 western European markets.

FTSE 100 6,313.21 +36.27 +0.58% CAC 40 3,670.72 +3.94 +0.11% DAX 7,637.51 -25.13 -0.33%

BHP added 3.5 percent to 1,944 pence and Rio Tinto rallied 4.8 percent to 3,135 pence as copper prices rose 2.3 percent in London. Kazakhmys Plc jumped 5.6 percent to 393.5 pence.

Aurubis AG, the second-largest refined copper producer, gained 6 percent to 48.35 euros, its biggest advance since July 19, after Chief Executive Officer Peter Willbrandt said orders in the U.S. are rebounding and European demand is slowly improving.

Repsol SA advanced 3 percent to 16.53 euros after spokesman Kristian Rix said the Spanish company encountered a 50-meter column of gas in the Sud-Est Illizi block in Algeria.

Lagardere slipped 2.6 percent to 27.79 euros after the Paris-based media company sold 61 million shares, or a 7.4 percent stake, in EADS for about 2.3 billion euros ($3 billion). EADS slid 2.8 percent to 37.62 euros.

Adecco SA, the biggest supplier of temporary workers, retreated 1.8 percent to 49.49 francs. Credit Suisse downgraded the shares to neutral from outperform, citing a slowdown in the U.S. and challenging market conditions in Europe for staffing companies.

U.S. stock futures rose as data showed Chinese inflation slowed more than forecast.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei  13,192.35 -0.24 0.00%

Hang Seng 21,870.34 +152.29 +0.70%

Shanghai Composite 2,225.77 +14.18 +0.64%

FTSE  6,309.18 +32.24 +0.51%

CAC  3,684.98 +18.20 +0.50%

DAX 7,681.5 +18.86 +0.25%

Crude oil $93.48 +0.13%

Gold $1575.40 +0.18%

Other:

Boeing (BA) target raised to $96 at Argus

European stocks climbed as Alcoa Inc. began the U.S. earnings season with profit that beat estimates and as Chinese inflation rose less than forecast.

Alcoa, the largest U.S. aluminum producer, late yesterday posted first-quarter earnings excluding an income-tax benefit and other one-time items of 11 cents a share, beating the 8 cent-average analyst forecast.

German exports fell in February more than economists forecast. Overseas shipments, adjusted for working days and seasonal changes, dropped 1.5 percent from January, when they gained 1.3 percent, the Federal Statistics Office in Wiesbaden said today. Economists forecast a 0.3 percent decline, according to the median of 15 estimates in a survey.

U.K. manufacturing rose twice as much as economists forecast in February. Factory output increased 0.8 percent from January, when it fell a revised 1.9 percent, the Office for National Statistics said today in London. The median forecast of 29 economists in a survey was for a gain of 0.4 percent. Overall industrial output rose 1 percent in February, also exceeding the estimate of economists.

BHP added 2.5 percent to 1,925.5 pence and Rio Tinto rallied 3.9 percent to 3,109 pence as copper prices rose 1.2 percent in London. Kazakhmys Plc jumped 4.6 percent to 389.6 pence.

Repsol SA advanced 2.7 percent to 16.49 euros after spokesman Kristian Rix said the Spanish company encountered a 50-meter column of gas in the Sud-Est Illizi block in Algeria.

ICAP Plc lost 3 percent to 283.8 pence in London. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has issued subpoenas to ICAP brokers and as many as 15 Wall Street banks as part of an investigation into possible price manipulation of benchmark interest-rate swaps, people familiar with the matter said late yesterday. The world’s largest interbank broker said today that it’s cooperating with the CFTC in a wider inquiry and investigating the allegations.

FTSE 100 6,302.07 +25.13 +0.40%

CAC 40 3,688.77 +21.99 +0.60%

DAX 7,682.43 +19.79 +0.26%

Asian stocks rose, led by commodity producers, as Chinese inflation rose less than economists forecast, damping concern that the nation’s central bank will need to tighten monetary policy.

Nikkei 225 13,192.35 -0.24 0.00%

Hang Seng 21,891.65 +173.60 +0.80%

S&P/ASX 200 4,976.84 +71.35 +1.45%

Shanghai Composite 2,225.77 +14.18 +0.64%

BHP Billiton Ltd., the biggest mining company, posted the longest streak of gains in two months as metal prices rose.

Alumina Ltd. gained 5 percent in Sydney after its joint-venture partner Alcoa Inc. reported first-quarter earnings that exceeded analysts’ estimates.

Sundance Resources Ltd. tumbled 48 percent after terminating an agreement with Sichuan Hanlong Group following the Chinese company’s failure to secure funding for its A$1.14 billion ($1.18 billion) bid to buy the rest of the Australian iron-ore miner.

Change % Change Last

Nikkei 225 13,192.59 +358.95 +2.80%

Hang Seng 21,743.38 +16.48 +0.08%

S&P/ASX 200 4,905.5 +14.07 +0.29%

Shanghai Composite 2,211.59 -13.70 -0.62%

FTSE 100 6,276.94 +27.16 +0.43%

CAC 40 3,666.78 +3.30 +0.09%

DAX 7,662.64 +3.89 +0.05%

Dow +47.61 14,612.86 +0.33%

Nasdaq +18.39 3,222.25 +0.57%

S&P +9.72 1,563.00 +0.63%