Here is how major stock markets outside the United States ended on Thursday.
Fresh take-over talk in the banking sector as well as strength in mining stocks also helped fuel equity markets. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of leading European shares closed up 0.9 percent at 1,379.3 points, heading back towards the 1,384.78 hit on Monday. That was the benchmark's highest level since July 2001.