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

Nikkei 14,277.67 -49.99 -0.35%

Hang Seng 21,473.95 -65.54 -0.30%

Shanghai Composite 2,023.67 +19.33 +0.96%

S&P 500 1,858.83 +17.70 +0.96%

NASDAQ 4,279.95 +34.55 +0.81%

Dow 16,247.22 +181.55 +1.13%

FTSE 6,568.35 +40.46 +0.62%

CAC 4,271.96 +55.59 +1.32%

DAX 9,180.89 +124.48 +1.37%

European stocks advanced, following their biggest weekly drop since January, as companies from RWE AG to Vodafone Group Plc rose amid renewed merger-and-acquisition activity.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index added 1.1 percent to 325.83 at the close of trading. The benchmark fell 3.3 percent last week as investors awaited Crimea’s March 16 referendum on whether to leave Ukraine and join Russia.

In Crimea, 96.8 percent of voters opted to secede from Ukraine in yesterday’s poll, according to the head of the election commission. The European Union issued a statement saying “the referendum is illegal and illegitimate and its outcome will not be recognized.”

EU foreign ministers agreed to impose travel bans on 21 Russians, Crimeans and former Ukrainian officials, following a meeting in Brussels today. The ministers also froze the group’s assets. The U.S. leveled sanctions on seven Russians, including aides or advisers to President Vladimir Putin. The leaders of the 28-nation EU will discuss further measures when they meet later this week.

In the U.S., a gauge of manufacturing in the New York area rose less than forecast, climbing to 5.61 in March from 4.48 in February. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg had predicted a reading of 6.50. The Federal Reserve’s gauge of industrial production rose 0.6 percent in February, following a revised 0.2 percent decline in January. Economists had forecast output would climb 0.2 percent.

National benchmark indexes advanced in every western-European market except Iceland today. France’s CAC 40 added 1.3 percent and Germany’s DAX climbed 1.4 percent. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 increased 0.6 percent.

RWE rose 1.3 percent to 28.84 euros after agreeing to sell its Dea oil-and-gas business to L1 Energy, the investment vehicle of Russia’s fourth-richest man Mikhail Fridman. Earlier this month, RWE posted its first full-year loss since the foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949.

Vodafone climbed 1.7 percent to 226 pence after saying it will spend 7.2 billion euros on Ono. The acquisition gives the telecommunications operator 1.9 million cable customers in Spain. It will generate about 2 billion euros of savings and 1 billion euros of revenue synergies, according to a statement.

Allianz added 2 percent to 122.90 euros. Europe’s biggest insurer agreed to spend 440 million euros buying assets from Unipol. They include a portfolio with 1.1 billion euros of premiums, 729 agencies and 500 employees.

Linde AG lost 2.6 percent to 139.90 euros after reporting profit that missed analysts’ estimates. The producer of industrial gases posted fourth-quarter earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of 970 million euros, less than the average analyst estimate of 992.3 million euros in a Bloomberg survey.

U.S. stock futures rose as investors weighed developments in Ukraine and economic data before the Federal Reserve meets to determine the pace of stimulus.

Global markets:

Nikkei 14,277.67 -49.99 -0.35%

Hang Seng 21,473.95 -65.54 -0.30%

Shanghai Composite 2,023.67 +19.33 +0.96%

FTSE 6,558.67 +30.78 +0.47%

CAC 4,253.48 +37.11 +0.88%

DAX 9,127.96 +71.55 +0.79%

Crude oil $98.47 (-0.42%)

Gold $1379.00 (+0.00%).

European stocks rose moderately after their biggest weekly drop since January on positive news on the corporate front , and contrary to the global trend to reduce markets due to concerns about the situation in Ukraine .

In Crimea , a total of 95.5 percent of voters opted for separation from Ukraine in yesterday's poll , according to preliminary results . Ukrainian authorities , the U.S. and several EU countries said they did not believe the Crimean referendum legitimate , while , according to the Russian side, it is consistent with international law .

Today, the foreign ministers of the EU countries are meeting in Brussels , the results of which are expected to be adopted by a number of sanctions against Russian officials. The possibility of introducing other sanctions against Russian leaders will discuss the 28 EU countries at a meeting to be held this week.

U.S. index futures also rose , while Asian shares fell .

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index rose 0.7 percent . Last week, the index fell by 3.3 percent, as investors awaited referendum on Crimea to leave Ukraine and join Russia .

Market participants' attention is also drawn to reports in the U.S. today . At 12:30 GMT , there are data on the index of activity in the manufacturing sector of the New York Fed . According to forecasts , this figure will rise to the level in March of 6.6 points from 4.48 in February.

13:15 GMT release in may show that industrial production increased by 0.2 percent in February after falling 0.3 percent in January .

Cost RWE rose 2.3 percent after it became known that the German energy company agreed in principle to sell its oil and gas business of L1 Energy for 5.1 billion euros.

Societe Generale shares rose 1.2 %, as the French bank announced the sale of its Asian business in the sphere of banking wealthy clients Singapore DBS Bank Ltd. for $ 220 million

Cost of Vodafone Group Plc rose 1.1% on news of buying the British company of the Spanish cable operator Ono SA for 7.2 billion euros.

Price Allianz SE rose 1.6% , as the company announced its readiness to buy a business in the insurance property and casualty UnipolSai SpA for about 440 million euros.

At the current moment

FTSE 100 6,558.32 +30.43 +0.47 %

CAC 40 4,244.35 +27.98 +0.66 %

DAX 9,123.55 +67.14 +0.74%

Asian stocks fell, with the regional gauge extending the biggest weekly loss since 2012, as western nations disputed Crimea’s vote to rejoin Russia.

Nikkei 225 14,277.67 -49.99 -0.35%

S&P/ASX 200 5,317.57 -11.83 -0.22%

Shanghai Composite 2,023.67 +19.33 +0.96%

Aeon Co. sank 4.3 percent in Tokyo after Japan’s biggest retailer posted profit that trailed estimates.

Tencent Holdings Ltd., Asia’s largest Internet company, slid 2.7 percent in Hong Kong after China blocked plans to offer virtual credit cards.

SoftBank Corp., a Japanese phone carrier that owns part of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., jumped 4.9 percent after China’s biggest e-commerce company kicked off the process for what may be the biggest U.S. initial public offering in two years.