EUROPE MARKETS: European Stocks Climb For Third Day Ahead Of Inflation Data

By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch

DAX on track for a 23.5% gain for the quarter

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Europe's benchmark stock index rose for a third straight day on Tuesday, setting it on track for its best quarterly advance since 2009.

The gains came as investors waited for fresh inflation and unemployment data, which are expected to give further proof that the eurozone economy is gradually improving.

The Stoxx Europe 600 index rose 0.4% to 401.55, just a few points shy of its all-time closing high as 405.50, hit in March 2000. For the quarter, the benchmark was on track for a 17.2% jump, which would mark the best quarterly gain since the 17.8% rally logged in the third quarter of 2009.

Other markets: Germany's DAX 30 index added 0.1% to 12,102.53 and was on track for a 23.5% gain for the quarter. The benchmark got a slight boost from German labor data, which showed unemployment dropped to a record low of 6.4% in March, down from 6.5% in February.

France's CAC 40 index climbed 0.2% to 5,093.12, while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 index slipped 0.1% to 6,885.22.

Data: France reported that consumer spending for February rose 0.1% on the month (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/french-consumer-spending-rises-in-february-2015-03-31-34855936) and 3% on the year, bang in line with forecasts by economists polled by The Wall Street Journal.

At 10 a.m. London time, or 5 a.m. Eastern Time, the March reading for eurozone inflation is out. Consensus is for a reading of negative 0.1%, an improvement from the negative 0.3% in February.

At the same time, eurozone unemployment for February is due, forecast to come in unchanged at 11.2%.

Movers: Shares of Kingfisher PLC jumped 4.5% after the do-it-yourself retailer said it will close about 60 stores in its U.K. chain B&Q (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/kingfisher-net-profit-falls-will-close-stores-2015-03-31)and its "few loss-making stores" in Europe.

Raiffeisen Bank International AG climbed 4.5% after J.P. Morgan Cazenove lifted the Austrian lender to overweight from neutral.

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