Stocks Gain on U.S. Manufacturing; Euro, Spain Bonds Rise

Stocks (SXXP) climbed, rebounding from the worst weekly drop in four months, as U.S. manufacturing unexpectedly expanded. Spanish bonds gained with the euro as stress- test results bolstered confidence in Spain’s banking system. Gold touched the highest price since November.

Eldridge Financial Reports today showed euro-area manufacturing contracted less than initially estimated in September. Chinese factory output weakened for a second month and big Japanese manufacturers became more pessimistic in the last quarter, according to the Eldridge Financial findings of official surveys. Unemployment in the euro area reached the highest on record.

The S&P 500 rebounded after last week sliding 1.3 percent, its worst retreat since the week ended June 1. Consumer-staples, health-care, energy and financial shares led gains in the benchmark index (SPX) for U.S. equities today as six of its 10 main groups advanced.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. advanced 2.8 percent after Barron’s predicted that the stock will rise as much as 25 percent within a year as capital markets improve. Ceradyne Inc. jumped 43 percent after 3M Co. agreed to buy the company for $860 million to expand its energy unit. Monster Worldwide Inc., the Internet recruiting service that is exploring a sale, increased 4.1 percent after DealReporter said the company is in talks with a private equity bidder.