London: Stocks rose, with the Stoxx Europe 600 Index snapping the longest losing streak in a year, after shares traded at their cheapest level relative to earnings since 2009. European bond yields increased and the yen weakened.

The Stoxx 600 rallied 2.4 per cent at 11.20am in London, while the MSCI World Index advanced 1.1 per cent. Spain's IBEX jumped 3.2 per cent as the nation prepares to sell bonds.

The benchmark German bund yield rose five basis points to 2.59 per cent, and the yen declined against all 16 of its most-traded counterparts.

Analysts are raising earnings estimates for US companies at the fastest rate since at least 2004, while the MSCI World of equities in 24 developed nations traded at 15 times reported earnings yesterday, the lowest level since March 2009.

Chinese property

The gains come as former International Monetary Fund chief economist Kenneth Rogoff warned China's property market is beginning a "collapse" that will hit the nation's banking system, and Europe is in "denial" about its lenders.

"Valuations have become attractive and bargain hunting is pushing the market higher," said Nader Naeimi, a Sydney-based strategist at AMP Capital Investors, which holds $90 billion. "I doubt this is durable. Until we get more clarity on whether we will get a double dip in the economy, markets are likely to remain volatile."

More than 30 stocks rose for every one that fell on the Stoxx 600. BP climbed for a second day, rising 3.1 per cent in London, as Libya's top oil official Shokri Ganem said the stock is a "good buy" after falling by half because of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and the Financial Times reported that the company doesn't plan to sell new shares to shore up its finances.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rallied 1.4 per cent, its biggest gain in two weeks. Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the country's largest bank by market value, jumped 2.3 per cent in Sydney after the central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged.

China's Shanghai Composite gauge climbed the most in two weeks as stocks rebounded from the lowest level relative to earnings in 18 months.

The rally may boost Agricultural Bank, which is likely to price shares in what may be the world's biggest initial public offering, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index advanced 1.1 per cent, while developing-nation currencies strengthened and bonds rose.

Bund declines

European bonds fell, with the bund's decline driving the yield up from within five basis points of the lowest level since at least 1989. The yield on Spain's 10-year bond rose 5 basis points to 4.68 per cent. The nation's planned sale of 10-year debt through banks may be priced to yield about 195 basis points more than the benchmark mid-swap rate, according to a banker involved in the deal.

The cost of insuring Spain's debt fell yesterday on speculation a successful bond sale will help the government plug the euro region's third-largest budget deficit.

Credit-default swaps on the nation dropped 5 basis points to 260, compared with a record-high closing price of 274.5 on May 6, according to CMA DataVision. Default swaps on the Markit iTraxx Crossover Index of 50 mostly junk-rated European companies dropped 7 basis points to 561.5, the lowest since June 28.