European stocks fell to a four-week low, paring a 12th consecutive month of gains for the Stoxx Europe 600 Index, as better-than-forecast data on U.S. business activity and consumer confidence bolstered speculation the Federal Reserve will pare its bond purchases.

National benchmark indexes fell in all of the 18 western European markets, except Greece. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 slid 1.1 percent and France's CAC 40 retreated 1.2 percent, while Germany's DAX lost 0.6 percent.

Roche slipped 1.4 percent to 239.10 Swiss francs after a study in south-east Asia showed the effectiveness of its Tamiflu drug remained unchanged when the dosage was doubled for patients with severe influenza.

Salzgitter AG slid 5.2 percent to 29.36 euros after Nomura Holdings Inc. cut its rating on the shares to reduce from neutral, saying it expects increased costs at the German company's steel division.

PostNL rallied 6.9 percent to 2.11 euros, the highest price since Jan. 11. The company said it expects so-called underlying operating income of 50 million euros ($65 million) to 90 million euros in 2013, compared with a previous forecast of 20 million euros to 60 million euros.

U.S. stock-index futures declined as consumer spending unexpectedly fell and before reports on consumer confidence and business activity.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei 13,774.54 +185.51 +1.37%

Hang Seng 22,392.16 -92.15 -0.41%

Shanghai Composite 2,300.59 -17.15 -0.74%

FTSE 6,593.86 -63.13 -0.95%

CAC 3,966.31 -30.00 -0.75%

DAX 8,343.95 -56.25 -0.67%

Crude oil $92.69 -0.98%

Gold $1406.60 -0.35%

Asian stocks slid, extending the regional benchmark index's first monthly decline since October, as a drop in Japanese brokerages and shipping lines limited a rebound in the nation's shares.

Nikkei 225 13,774.54 +185.51 +1.37%

S&P/ASX 200 4,926.6 -4.08 -0.08%

Shanghai Composite 2,300.59 -17.15 -0.74%

Japanese shipping companies dropped the most among the Topix index's 33 industry groups, with Mitsui O.S.K Lines Ltd. falling 4.2 percent.

Nomura Holdings Ltd. declined 1.9 percent, leading losses among brokerages.

Huaneng Power International Inc. slid 3.2 percent in Hong Kong, pacing declines among utilities.

BHP Billiton Ltd., the world's biggest mining company by market value, rose 1.2 percent in Sydney as copper is set for first monthly increase in four months.

Change % Change Last

Nikkei 225 14,326.46 +14.48 +0.10%

S&P/ASX 200 4,974.7 +4.05 +0.08%

Shanghai Composite 2,325.2 +3.89 +0.17%

FTSE 100 6,656.99 +29.82 +0.45%

CAC 40 3,996.31 +22.19 +0.56%

DAX 8,400.2 +63.62 +0.76%

DJIA 15,324.50 21.73 0.14%

S&P 500 1,654.41 6.05 0.37%

NASDAQ 3,491.30 23.78 0.69%