Autos Drive European Advance

LONDON -- European stocks rose, as a drop in crude-oil prices strengthened the auto sector and amid solid outlooks for Europe's largest carmakers. The Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index rose 2.1% to 286.8. In terms of national markets, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index closed up 1.6% at 5449.9, while France's CAC-40 Index surged 1.9% to 4408.7. Germany's DAX Index finished up 1.5% at 6536.1. Henk Potts, equity strategist at Barclays Stockbrokers wasn't surprised by the market rallies, saying that against a backdrop of cheap valuations, Barclays Stockbrokers still believe long-term investors will benefit from exposure to shares... [read full story]