On Wednesday, European stocks opened higher, tracking US and Asian counterparts, and receiving support from the comments of the European Central Bank President, Mario Draghi.
During European morning trade, STOXX EURO 50 rose 0.16%, France's CAC 40 rose 0.27%, while the German DAX 30 lost 0.52%.
European shares strengthened after European Central Bank President, Mario Draghi, reiterated that the central bank is ready to act to support the restoration of economic growth in the Eurozone.
The comments came during a speech of Mr Draghi at the ECB Forum on Banking Supervision in Frankfurt.
Financial sector of stocks generally rose, as French lenders Societe Generale (PA: SOGN) and BNP Paribas (PA: BNPP) rose 0.11% and 0.56%, while German Deutsche Bank (DE: DBKGn) and Commerzbank (DE: CBKG) added 0.18% and 0.21%.
Among the peripheral lenders, the Italian Intesa Sanpaolo (MI: ISP) and Unicredit (MI: CRDI) gained 0.32% and 0.77% respectively, while Spanish BBVA (MC: BBVA) and Banco Santander (MC: SAN) rose 0.54% and 0.64% respectively.
Shares of Barry Callebaut AG tumbled 5.83% after the world's largest producer of chocolate reduced the medium-term outlook for production growth and said that this financial year will be challenging due to the difficulties in the cocoa market.
Shares of Volkswagen (DE: VOWG) tumbled 3.98% after the automaker for the first time announced the discovery of false indicators of emissions from its models. An internal investigation reportedly revealed 800 000 cars with "unexplained discrepancies" of emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The London FTSE 100 index rose 0.59% due to a sharp rise in the mining sector.
Stocks of Bhp Billiton (L: BLT) and Antofagasta (L: ANTO) jumped 2.74% and 3.17%, while shares of Anglo American (L: AAL) rose 4.64%, and the shares of Glencore (L: GLEN) soared 5.17%.
Earlier on Wednesday, Glencore announced the sale of part of its rights to mine silver for $ 900 million.
Shares of Marks & Spencer Group (L: MKS) Plc jumped 3.36% after the retailer reported better than expected earnings in the first half of the year and raised its forecast profitability.
The financial sector noted a rise as shares of Royal Bank of Scotland (L: RBS) gained 0.22%, shares of Lloyds Banking (L: LLOY) rose 0.62%, while shares of HSBC Holdings (L: HSBA) rose 1.31%. Shares of Barclays (L: BARC), on the other hand, lost 0.09%.
In the US, equity markets pointed to a higher open. Futures of Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.04%, S&P 500 index rose 0.01%, while the Nasdaq 100 futures increased by 0.06%.