McDonald's Corp reported a better-than-expected rise in January sales at established restaurants across the globe, as strength in the United States helped offset the impact of economic weakness in Europe.

The world's biggest hamburger chain said sales at restaurants open at least 13 months rose 6.7 percent globally. Analysts were looking for an increase of 5.9 percent, according to Thomson Reuters data.

(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles and Brad Dorfman in Chicago; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)