London's benchmark FTSE 100 index gained 0.54 percent to 5,614.77 points, Frankfurt's DAX 30 climbed 1.12 percent to 6,714.79 points and in Paris the CAC 40 rallied 1.66 percent to 3,512.42.

Europe's main markets closed down by some 2.0 percent on Wednesday, extending losses as the eurozone debt crisis threatened to snare Italy and Spain.

Most Asian stocks meanwhile fell on Thursday but Tokyo was in positive territory after the government intervened in the currency market to curb the yen's rise.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011