Vodafone Share News (VOD)

* FTSEurofirst 300, Euro STOXX 50 rise * Spain gets boost from Moody's * German business morale rises in February, Ifo says * Volkswagen, HSBC cap gains By Joshua Franklin LONDON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Demand for Spanish equitieshelped European shares to extend their rally on Monday tosix-year highs, but worse-than-expected results from HSBC and a disappointing outlook from Volkswagen capped the gains. Spanish stocks rose 0.9 percent after Moody's raised Spain'ssovereign debt rating one notch to Baa2 with a "positive"outlook. Sentiment was also lifted by data thatshowed German business morale rose in February to its highestlevel since July 2011. European stocks have risen sharply over the past 2 1/2weeks, with the CAC-40 hitting a 5 1/2-year high on Friday,boosted by hopes the region's economic growth and corporateprofits will recover this year. "The outlook for corporate earnings, helped first by exportsand now by a recovery in domestic demand, is improving," saidAnn Steele, European equity fund manager at ThreadneedleInvestments. "Consumer confidence on the continent is on the up,and countries that have been most prepared to undergo difficultreform are reaping benefits in terms of GDP growth." At 1549 GMT, the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 wasup 0.3 percent at 1,347.70 points, which would be the highestclosing price in almost six years. The euro zone's blue-chipEuro STOXX 50 index was up 0.5 percent at 3,146.36points. British mobile operator Vodafone rose 3 percent,helping the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares tojust short of the six-year highs it hit in January. Vodafone'sshares have gained on the prospect of one of the largest capitalreturns in corporate history, after it sells its stake in U.S.mobile-phone company Verizon Wireless. Slowing the rally, shares in HSBC fell 3.5 percent. Europe'slargest bank posted results that fell short of expectations andwarned of more volatility in emerging markets. The drop was even sharper for Volkswagen, Germany's biggestblue-chip by market value. VW sank 7.4 percent after it issued adisappointing 2014 outlook and announced plans to buy outminority shareholders of Scania, sending shares of thetruck maker up 32 percent. Worries brewing over credit restrictions on China's propertysector also kept investors on edge. Chinese shares fell onMonday, knocked by news reports saying Chinese banks had beguntightening property loans. Mining shares, which have a big exposure to resource-hungryChina, retreated, with Rio Tinto down 1.8 percent andAnglo American down 2.1 percent. Around Europe, UK's FTSE 100 index was down 0.1percent, lagging continental indexes. Germany's DAX gained 0.2 percent and France's CAC 40 rose 0.5 percent. "The prospect of a pick-up in growth in the euro zone hasbeen one of the big catalysts for the market in the past fewweeks," FXCM analyst Vincent Ganne said. "With a lot of datacoming out this week, including Friday's inflation figures, fundmanagers' risk appetite will be tested. We need more positivenews, otherwise investors will start having doubts." Europe bourses in 2014:Asset performance in 2014:Today's European research round-up