* Asia stocks shrug off weak China trade data
* China numbers contrast with forecast-beating Germany
* European shares rise, Wall Street seen higher
By Nigel Stephenson
LONDON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Shares rose in Europe and Asia on
Tuesday after trade data from China and Germany highlighted the
divergent outlooks of the two heavyweight economies.
China said its imports fell far more than expected last
month, adding to concerns about the world's second-biggest
economy's contribution to global growth. ID:nL4N1182W1
However, Chinese stocks, which have fallen some 40 percent
since mid-June, rose as some analysts calculated the data, which
showed exports on the other hand fell less than expected, could
lead to further policy easing in the coming months.
By contrast, Germany saw imports and exports hit record
highs in value terms in July, underlining strong foreign demand
for goods from Europe's largest economy. ID:nL5N11E0JO
"The German data is offering some relief that the European
recovery remains on track and German exports are not impacted
too much by the emerging market turmoil," Philippe Gijsels, head
of research at BNP Paribas (PARIS:BNPP) Fortis Global Markets, said.
Worries over the Chinese growth outlook have led some
analysts to question whether a widely expected rise in U.S.
interest rates might be delayed, though some policymakers have
suggested they would look beyond the recent market turmoil.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index .FTEU3 rose 2.1
percent, gathering strength as the day progressed, with
Germany's DAX index .GDAXI advancing by a similar amount.
Britain's FTSE 100 index .FTSE was up 1.7 percent.
Wall Street, which was closed on Monday for a holiday, was
expected to open up to 2 percent higher, according to stock
index futures ESc1 .
OIL RISES
Earlier, Asian shares broke a six-day losing streak.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan
.MIAPJ0000PUS was up 2 percent.
China's Shanghai Composite index .SSEC closed 2.9 percent
higher, albeit in the lowest volume since late February after
the government unveiled on Monday a series of measures intended
to curb speculation. The CSI 300 index .CSI300 rose 2.6
percent.
Japanese stocks fell, partly reflecting the data from China,
one of its main trading partners. The Nikkei 225 index .N225
closed down 2.4 percent, taking it into negative territory for
the year.
The dollar strengthened against the safe-haven Japanese yen
JPY= , last trading up 0.7 percent at 120.09 yen and the euro
EUR= held steady at $1.1160.
The dollar index .DXY , which measures the greenback
against a basket of currencies, fell 0.1 percent.
Yields on 10-year German government bonds DE10YT=TWEB , the
euro zone benchmark, were flat at 0.68 percent.
Oil prices rose after falling 3 percent on Monday, on
concerns about the economic outlook and as cooperation between
crude producers to curb oversupply looked unlikely. O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 was 80 cents a barrel higher at $48.83
but well below levels above $54 hit at the end of August.
Copper prices CMCU3 rose 2 percent to $5,256 a tonne as
the Chinese data showed imports of the metal held steady.
Gold XAU= held steady at around $1,119 an ounce after a
four-day losing streak as the dollar eased.