* FTSEurofirst 300 up 0.4 pct, hits 2-yr high
* Vodafone, Barclays, others gain after statements
* For up-to-the-minute market news, click on []
By Brian Gorman
LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - European shares hit a two-year
high on Tuesday, with several companies including Vodafone
<VOD.L> and Barclays gaining after upbeat profit statements, and
with the macroeconomic backdrop boosting sentiment.
At 0947 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 <> index of top
European shares was up 0.4 percent at 1,115.53 points, after
reaching 1,116.19, the highest since September 2008.
The European benchmark is up more than 72 percent from its
lifetime low of March, 2009, with several major economies having
emerged from recession, helped by stimulus from governments and
central banks worldwide.
Vodafone <VOD.L>, the world's largest mobile operator by
revenue, rose 1.5 percent after raising its full-year profit
outlook and saying it had agreed to sell its interests in
Japanese carrier SoftBank <9984.T> for 3.1 billion pounds ($5
billion). []
"You've had the best of both worlds in equity markets.
You've had good data, particularly in jobs, earnings growth and
the Fed stimulus has brought bond yields down," said Bernard
McAlinden, investment strategist at NCB Stockbrokers in Dublin.
"The background is right for markets to break above the
highs."
Barclays <BARC.L> rose 2.1 percent after the bank reported a
sharp improvement in bad debts that lifted underlying
third-quarter profit.
Miners rose as the price of copper and other metals gained,
partly on worries about shortage of supply. Copper has hit a
27-month high even as the dollar has strengthened.
Anglo American <AAL.L>, Antofagasta <ANTO.L>, Fresnillo
<FRES.L> and Rio Tinto <RIO.L> rose between 1.9 and 2 percent.
West African-focused gold miner Randgold Resources <RRS.L>
rose 3.4 percent after saying it expects output to rise
significantly in the fourth quarter, though it posted
lower-than-expected production in the third quarter.
[]
Across Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 <>, Germany's DAX
<> and France's CAC40 <> rose between 0.3 and 0.6
percent.
CARLSBERG FALLS
There were some negatives among the raft of corporate
statements. Carlsberg <CARLb.CO> fell 5 percent after the brewer
warned of rising input costs and some markets remaining tough,
though it posted a bigger rise than expected in third-quarter
operating profit. []
Back on the upside, Adecco <ADEN.VX> rose 4 percent after
the staffing firm's third-quarter profit beat expectations.
Ireland's CRH <CRH.I> rose 2.2 percent said it was stemming
the rate of decline in sales of products such as aggregates and
bricks, and expects this trend to continue. It had warned on
earnings earlier this year due to a faltering U.S. economic
recovery.
Persistent worries about euro zone debt may limit gains for
indexes in the short term.
"Greece's actions (to reduce its deficit) are not satisfying
the market. There are waves of neurosis," said McAlinden. "The
banking system in Ireland is reacting with the sovereign
situation."
China warned on Tuesday that U.S. easy money could
destablise the global economy and inflate asset bubbles, keeping
up the pressure on Washington just two days before the start of
a G20 leaders summit. []
(Editing by Hans Peters)
