European stocks advanced, with the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 Index reaching its highest close in six years, after the World Bank raised its global growth forecast.

The Stoxx 600 climbed 1 percent to 334.48 at 4:38 p.m. in London, the highest since January 2008. The index rallied 1.9 percent in the past four days.

The World Bank increased its global growth forecasts, predicting the economy will expand 3.2 percent this year. That compares with a June projection of 3 percent and is up from 2.4 percent in 2013. The Washington-based lender raised the estimate for the richest nations to 2.2 percent from 2 percent. Part of the increase reflects improvement in the 18-nation euro area, and the U.S. growing twice as fast as Japan.

A U.S. report showed that manufacturing in New York, northern New Jersey and southern Connecticut grew at a faster pace than projected this month. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s general economic index rose to 12.51 in January, up from a revised 2.22 last month. That beat the median economist forecast that called for an increase to 3.5.

Separately, the Fed will release its Beige Book business survey, which contains anecdotal reports on the economy from its 12 districts. The central bank, which next gathers Jan. 28-29, decided last month to begin trimming monthly bond purchases, citing improvement in the labor market.

National benchmark indexes advanced in all 18 western-European markets today except Iceland.

FTSE 100 6,819.86 +53.00 +0.78% CAC 40 4,332.07 +57.87 +1.35% DAX 9,733.81 +193.30 +2.03%

Burberry jumped 4.4 percent to 1,534 pence. Retail revenue advanced 14 percent to 528 million pounds ($866 million) in the three months ended Dec. 31, compared with the 518 million pounds analysts had projected.

H&M climbed 2.7 percent to 291.80 kronor. Europe’s second-biggest clothing retailer posted a 10 percent increase in total sales in December, topping the 9.1 percent gain anticipated in a survey of analysts by SME Direkt.

Peugeot SA gained 3.7 percent to 11.37 euros and Daimler AG rose 2.9 percent to 65.50 euros, as a gauge of European carmakers posted the best performance of 19 industry groups in the Stoxx 600.

Chr. Hansen, the world’s biggest maker of dairy enzymes, dropped 4.8 percent to 200.60 kroner. Net income in the first quarter fell to 29.2 million euros, compared with the average analyst estimate for 33.7 million euros.

Hargreaves Lansdown Plc slipped 4.1 percent to 1,446 pence for its biggest drop since September. The U.K.’s biggest retail broker reduced its fees for client investments, saying it negotiated with fund managers to cut their annual management charges for its top 150 funds to about 0.65 percent compared with an industry standard of 0.76 percent.

U.S. stock futures climbed, as the World Bank raised its global growth forecast and data indicated manufacturing in the New York region expanded.

Global markets:

Nikkei 15,808.73 +386.33 +2.50%

Hang Seng 22,902 +110.72 +0.49%

Shanghai Composite 2,023.35 -3.49 -0.17%

FTSE 6,812.01 +45.15 +0.67%

CAC 4,302.43 +28.23 +0.66%

DAX 9,673.73 +133.22 +1.40%

Crude oil $92.73 (+0.15%)

Gold $1236.50 (-0.71%).

European stocks advanced, with the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 Index rising for a fourth day, after the World Bank raised its global growth forecast. U.S. stock-index futures were little changed, while Asian shares rose.

The Stoxx 600 climbed 0.5 percent to 332.90 at 9:36 a.m. in London, taking its four-day gain to 1.4 percent. The index closed at its highest level since May 2008 yesterday. Standard & Poor’s 500 Index futures rose 0.1 percent, while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index advanced 0.6 percent.

The World Bank increased its global growth forecasts, predicting the world economy will expand 3.2 percent this year. That compares with a June projection of 3 percent and is up from 2.4 percent in 2013. The Washington-based lender raised the estimate for the richest nations to 2.2 percent from 2 percent. Part of the increase reflects improvement in the 18-country euro area, and the U.S. growing twice as fast as Japan.

Separately, the Fed will release its Beige Book business survey, which contains anecdotal reports on the economy from its 12 districts. The central bank, which next gathers Jan. 28-29, decided last month to begin trimming monthly bond purchases, citing improvement in the labor market.

Burberry jumped 5.1 percent to 1,544 pence. Retail revenue advanced 14 percent to 528 million pounds ($866 million) in the three months ended Dec. 31, compared with the 518 million pounds analysts had projected.

Monte dei Paschi added 2 percent to 18.99 euro cents. Viola withdrew his resignation, and the board’s executives reiterated the need to raise capital as soon as possible, Monte dei Paschi said in a statement to the stock exchange in Milan.

Hennes & Mauritz AB climbed 2.2 percent to 290.40 kronor. Europe’s second-biggest clothing retailer posted a 10 percent increase in total sales in December, topping the 9.1 percent gain anticipated in a survey of analysts by SME Direkt.

Chr. Hansen, the world’s biggest maker of dairy enzymes, dropped 3.3 percent to 203.90 kroner. Net income in the first quarter fell to 29.2 million euros, compared with the average analyst estimate for 33.7 million euros.

FTSE 100 6,788.02 +21.16 +0.31%

CAC 40 4,296.59 +22.39 +0.52%

DAX 9,634.38 +93.87 +0.98%

Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark index poised to drop for a fourth day, as a report showed U.S. service industries expanded less than expected and raw-material shares led declines.

Nikkei 225 15,814.37 -94.51 -0.59%

S&P/ASX 200 5,316.99 -7.89 -0.15%

Shanghai Composite 2,044.44 -1.27 -0.06%

Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co., an oil processor, slumped 5.9 percent, leading material shares lower.

Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp., Southeast Asia’s second-biggest lender, fell 0.8 percent in Singapore amid concern it may pay too much to take over Hong Kong’s Wing Hang Bank Ltd.

Li & Fung Ltd., the world’s largest supplier of clothes and toys to retailers, gained 8.5 percent in Hong Kong as the company called its 2013 performance “solid.”

Nikkei 225 15,422.4 -489.66 -3.08%

Hang Seng 22,796.16 -92.60 -0.40%

S&P/ASX 200 5,212.05 -80.03 -1.51%

Shanghai Composite 2,026.84 +17.28 +0.86%

FTSE 100 6,766.86 +9.71 +0.14%

CAC 40 4,274.2 +10.93 +0.26%

DAX 9,540.51 +30.34 +0.32%

Dow +115.53 16,373.47 +0.71%

Nasdaq +69.71 4,183.02 +1.69%

S&P +19.57 1,838.77 +1.08%