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Mr Bernanke predicted that the recession will end this year, helping the Down Jones Industrial Average to bounce back from a six-year low in the previous session.
The FTSE 100 increased by 50.94 points, a rise of 1.3 per cent.
Meanwhile, Germany's Dax added more than 66 points, a rise of 1.7 per cent.
Daragh Maher, an analyst at Calcyon Credit Agricole, commented: "Equity holders in banks took solace from Bernanke's apparent preference for a public-private partnership solution to the banking crisis, rather than outright nationalisation."
Banks saw many rises, including BNP Paribas which added 8.6 per cent, while Germany's largest bank Deutsche Bank gained almost nine per cent.
Yesterday, markets in the US recovered strongly after plunging to 12-year low.
