European stocks rose to an almost one-month high as Alcoa Inc. started the U.S. earnings-reporting season with results that beat analysts’ estimates.

Alcoa, the first member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average to report quarterly results, said profit excluding some expenses was 7 cents a share. That beat the 6-cent average of 15 estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Sales fell to $5.85 billion, still surpassing the $5.79 billion average projection.

National benchmark indexes advanced in 13 of the 18 western-European markets today. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 added 1.1 percent, Germany’s DAX climbed 1.2 percent, and France’s CAC 40 gained 0.6 percent.

A gauge of mining companies rose 2.6 percent, for the best performance among the 19 industry groups on the Stoxx 600. Global aluminum demand will increase 7 percent this year, led by an 11 percent growth in China, Alcoa said.

BHP Billiton Ltd. and Rio Tinto Group climbed 2.7 percent to 1,734 pence and 2.8 percent to 2,745 pence, respectively. Polymetal International Plc, which operates gold and silver mines in Russia and a gold-and-copper mine in Kazakhstan, advanced 6.6 percent to 505.5 pence. Anglo American Plc gained 3 percent to 1,282.5 pence.

EDF rallied 9.4 percent to 19.43 euros. France has authorized the utility to raise its power prices for households by 5 percent next month and by another 5 percent in August 2014, Le Parisien reported. The newspaper cited a statement from Ecology and Energy Minister Philippe Martin. Separately, UBS AG upgraded the stock to neutral.

LVMH advanced 2.1 percent to 131.50 euros. The company agreed to pay 2 billion euros ($2.56 billion) for 80 percent of Loro Piana. The family owners of the maker of $1,385 cashmere sweaters will retain a 20 percent stake in the business, Paris-based LVMH said.

U.S. stock-index futures rose as the start of corporate earnings season increased optimism about economic growth.

Alcoa (AA) Inc. advanced  after posting earnings that beat analysts’ estimates and maintaining its forecast for global aluminum demand.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei  14,472.9 +363.56 +2.58%

Hang Seng 20,683.01 +100.82 +0.49%

Shanghai Composite 1,965.45 +7.18 +0.37%

FTSE  6,503.27 +53.20 +0.82%

CAC  3,846.05 +22.22 +0.58%

DAX 8,050 +81.46 +1.02%

Crude oil $102.57 -0.55%

Gold $1252.10 +1.39%

Upgrades:

Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Brean Capital

Downgrades:

IBM downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Goldman Sachs

Other:

European stocks rose significantly, reaching in this three-week high, helped by a financial report from the American company Alcoa Ink, who started the earnings season with results that exceeded analysts' expectations. U.S. index futures and Asian shares also rose.

Stoxx Europe 600 Index rose 0.7% to 294.33, after rising to its highest level since June 17.

We add that the sensor mining companies increased by 2.1%, showing the best performance among 19 industry groups in the Stoxx 600, after the company Alcoa said that global aluminum demand to grow by 7% this year, led by a 11% growth in China.

Shares of BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto Group climbed 2.7% to 1,735 pence and 2.3% to 2,730.5 pence, respectively.

The cost of Polymetal International Plc, which is developing a gold and silver mines in Russia and gold-copper mine in Kazakhstan increased by 3.9% to 493 pence.

Shares of Anglo American Plc climbed 3.4% to 1,287 pence.

The cost of EDF increased by 9% to 19.36 euros after France komanalnoy allowed the company to increase the price of electricity for households by 5% in the next month and a further 5% in August 2014. In addition, it was reported that UBS AG raised its rating on the stock to 'neutral'.

LVMH shares rose 2.2 percent to 131.60 euros. The company has agreed to pay 2 billion euros ($ 2.57 billion) in 80% Loro Piana.

At the moment:

FTSE 100 6,508.88 +58.81 +0.91%

CAC 40 3,848.22 +24.39 +0.64%

DAX 8,048.5 +79.96 +1.00%

Asian stocks rose, with the regional equities gauge on course to rebound from its biggest drop in two weeks, as a weakening yen pushed Japan’s Topix index to a seven-week high and industrial companies advanced.

Nikkei 225 14,472.9 +363.56 +2.58%

Hang Seng 20,690.13 +107.94 +0.52%

S&P/ASX 200 4,881.65 +72.12 +1.50%

Shanghai Composite 1,965.45 +7.18 +0.37%

Toyota Motor Corp., which gets 75 percent of its auto sales outside Japan, gained 2.6 percent.

BHP Billiton Ltd., the world’s largest mining company, advanced 2.1 percent in Sydney as metals prices climbed.

Olympus Corp. sank 5.4 percent in Tokyo after the biggest endoscope maker said it plans to sell as much as 118 billion yen ($1.2 billion) of shares.

Nikkei 225 14,109.34 -200,63 -1,40%

Hang Seng 20,601.75 -252,92 -1,21%

S & P / ASX 200 4,809.5 -32,25 -0,67%

Shanghai Composite 1,958.27 -48.93 -2.44%

FTSE 100 6,450.07 +74.55 +1.17%

CAC 40 3,823.83 +69.98 +1.86%

DAX 7,968.54 +162.54 +2.08%

DJIA 15,224.70 88.85 0.59%

S&P 500 1,640.46 8.57 0.53%

NASDAQ 3,484.83 5.45 0.16%