European stocks climbed the most in almost two weeks as a measure of German consumer confidence rose more than estimated.

A release from Nuremberg-based research company GfK AG showed German consumer confidence will climb to 7.4 in December from a revised 7.1 this month. That beat the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey that called for an increase to 7.1 from an earlier November reading of 7.

In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel reached a coalition agreement with the Social Democrats early today. The pact put her on track for a third term leading Europe’s biggest economy until 2017. It also signaled Merkel will continue her European policies including a rejection of joint liability for euro-area nations’ debt. The deal must pass a referendum among the 470,000 members of the SPD.

National benchmark indexes rose in all 18 western European markets. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 increased 0.2 percent and France’s CAC 40 rose 0.4 percent. Germany’s DAX jumped 0.7 percent.

Royal Mail jumped 6 percent to 565 pence, its biggest gain since Oct. 23. The company said demand from online retailers for parcel deliveries helped increase operating profit after some costs by 97 percent to 283 million pounds ($461 million) in the six months ended Sept. 29.

Vivendi gained 0.9 percent to 18.77 euros after saying shareholder Vincent Bollore will replace Chairman Jean-Rene Fourtou once the telecommunications business is split from the media assets. The spinoff may entail distributing shares of its SFR mobile-phone unit to shareholders, the company said. Bollore owns 5 percent of Vivendi.

Assicurazioni Generali SpA rose 1.5 percent to 16.84 euros. Europe’s third-largest insurer plans to cut an extra 150 million euros ($204 million) of costs by 2015 and reduce debt as part of a plan to boost profit and strengthen capital.

Accor dropped 7.5 percent to 31.05 euros, its biggest decline since November 2011. Europe’s largest hotel operator said it will reorganize its business into two separate units. The HotelServices unit will operate about 460,000 hotel rooms under 14 brands. The HotelInvest unit will act as the owner and investor in hotels.

U.S. stock-index futures were little changed, as investors assessed data to gauge the strength of the world’s largest economy.

Global markets:

Nikkei 15,449.63 -65.61 -0.42%

Hang Seng 23,806.35 +125.07 +0.53%

Shanghai Composite 2,201.07 +18.00 +0.82%

FTSE 6,642.77 +6.55 +0.10%

CAC 4,294.7 +17.13 +0.40%

DAX 9,323.8 +33.73 +0.36%

Crude oil $92.46 (-1.30%).

Gold $1250.90 (+0.76%).

European stocks advanced as a report predicted an increase in German consumer confidence and investors awaited data on American durable-goods orders. U.S. index futures were little changed, while Asian shares fell.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index added 0.3 percent to 323.19 at 9:19 a.m. in London. The benchmark slipped 0.8 percent since reaching a 5 1/2-year high on Nov. 18 through yesterday as investors speculated when the Federal Reserve may reduce its monthly bond purchases.

German consumer confidence will increase to 7.4 next month from 7 in November, according to research company GfK AG. The data topped the the median economist estimate that called for a December gain to 7.1.

In the U.S., the final reading of the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan November consumer sentiment index rose to 73.1 from a preliminary reading of 72, economists predicted before data due at 9:55 a.m. New York time. Figures yesterday showed the Conference Board’s index of American consumer sentiment fell to a seven-month low this month.

A separate release may show that U.S. durable-goods orders fell 2 percent in October after rising 3.8 percent in the prior month, according to the median estimate of economists.

The U.K. economy expanded at a rate of 0.8 percent in the third quarter from the prior quarter, the median estimate of economists.

Vivendi SA gained 2.3 percent after saying shareholder Vincent Bollore will replace Chairman Jean-Rene Fourtou when it completes a separation of telecommunications business from media assets. The spinoff, approved by Vivendi’s supervisory board yesterday, may entail distributing shares of its SFR mobile-phone unit to shareholders, the Paris-based company said.

Accor dropped 3.3 percent, its biggest decline since August. Europe’s largest hotel operator said it will reorganize its business into two separate units. The HotelServices unit will operate about 460,000 hotel rooms under 14 brands. The HotelInvest unit will act as the owner and investor in hotels.

FTSE 100 6,643.74 +7.52 +0.11%

CAC 40 4,283.26 +5.69 +0.13%

DAX 9,309.05 +18.98 +0.20%

Asia’s benchmark stock index swung between gains and losses after U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly fell and as an advance among information technology shares was offset by declines at raw-material companies.

Nikkei 225 15,449.63 -65.61 -0.42%

Hang Seng 23,806.35 +125.07 +0.53%

S&P/ASX 200 5,332.87 -24.14 -0.45%

Shanghai Composite 2,201.07 +18.00 +0.82%

Industrial Bank of Korea sank 4.2 percent after the South Korea government sold more than 13 million shares in the lender.

BHP Billiton Ltd. lost 1.5 percent in Sydney after copper yesterday fell for the first time in a week.

Rakuten Inc. surged 6.4 percent in Tokyo, leading information technology firms higher, after the e-commerce company said it will boost its dividend.

Nikkei 225 15,515.24 -103.89 -0.67%

Hang Seng 23,681.28 -3.17 -0.01%

S&P/ASX 200 5,357.01 +4.18 +0.08%

Shanghai Composite 2,183.07 -3.04 -0.14%

FTSE 100 6,636.22 -58.40 -0.87%

CAC 40 4,277.57 -24.40 -0.57%

DAX 9,290.07 -9.88 -0.11%

Dow 16,072.80 +0.26 +0.00%

Nasdaq 4,017.75 +23.18 +0.58%

S&P 500 1,802.75 +0.27 +0.01%