Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.
Technology issues also were buoyant, with chipmaker Infineon up 4 percent after South Korea's Hynix gave an upbeat outlook for the second half of the year. Other movers included Philips, up 1.2 percent after saying it would book a gain of up to 750 million euros ($971.9 million) from the sale of a stake in NAVTEQ, while sales growth concerns skimmed 6.6 percent off Imperial Chemical Industries.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index of pan-European blue chips ended 0.55 percent higher at 1,080.9 points - its best close since April 15.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index finished up 9.0 points at 3,956.1.
The All Gold index closed at 1,348.84 points, down 8.69 or 0.64 percent, while the Industrial index closed at 9,522.38 points, up 95.59 or 1.01 percent.