European shares up

LONDON, Sept 10 (Reuters): European shares advanced on Tuesday on ebbing expectations of US-led military action against Syria alongside robust macroeconomic data out of China. The FTSEurofirst 300 was up 0.7 per cent at 1,236.49 points by 0729 GMT, its highest level since August 15. Late on Monday, US President Barack Obama said he saw a possible breakthrough in the crisis with Syria after Russia proposed that Damascus hand over its chemical weapons for destruction, which could avert planned US-led military strikes. Further brightening the mood was data showing China's industrial output growth beat forecasts in August, further evidence that its economy is picking up after a prolonged slowdown. "I think (the news on Syria) is enough for a ... relief rally and the Chinese data looked all pretty much in line with the recent pattern ... so that's going to help sentiment on the open as well," Ian Williams, equity strategist at Peel Hunt, said. "The landing (in China) could have been a little bit harder than would have been healthy for the Western markets but the balance of data probably since July time has suggested that that's not the case." Miners were in demand after the data out of China, the world's top metals consumer, led by Glencore Xstrata, up 3.6per cent at 332.75 pence. It has reported better-than-expected synergies from the takeover of Xstrata.