UKX FTSE 100 Index

By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch

Stoxx 600 at around its highest since December 2015

European stocks leapt to their strongest levels in more than a year Thursday, carried higher by a rally in mining shares, and after Dutch voters rebuffed Geert Wilders's far-right party in a general election.

The Stoxx Europe 600 index climbed 0.6% to 377.49, on track to mark the highest close since December 2015, FactSet data showed. All sectors advanced, led by a surge in the basic resources group . The pan-European index on Wednesday closed up by 0.4% (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/european-stocks-advance-ahead-of-dutch-election-fed-meeting-results-2017-03-15).

In Amsterdam, the AEX climbed 0.6% to 514.80, on course for its best close since January 2008. The move came after the far-right Party for Freedom, led by Geert Wilders, fell short in the Netherlands general election (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/anti-immigrant-populists-appear-to-fall-short-in-dutch-election-2017-03-15). Preliminary results released late Wednesday showed the Dutch political establishment was set to hold onto power.

The election was seen as a litmus test of backing for populist movements in Europe. The Party for Freedom wanted to leave the European Union and halt Muslim immigration.

The "Dutch election results revived hope that the populist movement may have not spilled over the core European Union members. It especially revived faith that Marine Le Pen's Front National could experience a similar rattle on the upcoming French elections," said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior market analyst at London Capital Group, in a note.

"The euro/dollar rallied on the sweet combination of Dutch election results and the Fed announcement," she said. "We remind that the downside euro risks prevail on the run up to the first round of the French election due on April 23rd."

The euro surged to one-month highs late Wednesday after the preliminary results were released. The shared currency slightly pared those gains on Thursday, buying $1.0728, compared with $1.0735 late Wednesday in New York.

The Federal Reserve late Wednesday raised interest rates, as expected, and Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen signaled the central bank will hold to a gradual pace of raising interest rates (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/fed-raises-interest-rates-by-a-quarter-point-sees-two-move-moves-this-year-2017-03-15).

Miners: Anglo American PLC (AAL.LN) led a rally among miners. Its shares climbed 8.7% after billionaire Anil Agarwal's family trust, Volcan Investments Ltd., bought a 12% stake (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/indias-agarwal-takes-12-stake-in-anglo-american-2017-03-16) in the producer of iron ore, copper and other metals.

The mining sector was also aided by a pullback in the dollar in the wake of the Fed decision, with dollar-denominated metals prices rising.

Read:Why the Fed interest-rate hike fueled a rally in gold (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-the-fed-interest-rate-hike-fueled-a-rally-in-gold-2017-03-15)

Indexes: Germany's DAX 30 index rose 0.7% to 12,090, and France's CAC 40 added 0.6% at 5,013, looking at its strongest close in 2017.

The FTSE 100 rose 0.6% to 7,412, on track for a record closing high. The pound jumped above $1.23 after the Bank of England voted 8-1 to hold the key rate at 0.25%, with the hawkish dissent driving sterling higher (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ftse-100-hits-record-high-as-anglo-american-leads-rally-in-miners-2017-03-16).

Other developments: A letter sent to the International Monetary Fund in Paris exploded, injuring a staff member (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/letter-bomb-sent-to-imf-office-explodes-reports-2017-03-16). The IMF is working with French authorities who are investigating the incident.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 16, 2017 09:22 ET (13:22 GMT)

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