//
According to Reuters, the FTSEurofirst 300 was up 0.4 per cent to 868.50 points at 09:08 BST, while the FTSE 100 jumped 0.6 per cent to 4,436.11 points at 09:56 BST in London.
Credit Agricole and Societe Generale recorded gains in Europe, while on the FTSE 100 Barclays, Standard Chartered, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking Group and HSBC added between 0.7 per cent and 2.9 per cent.
"Yesterday's US consumer confidence figures are still boosting markets around the globe," market strategist Nick Serff explained, adding that some investors now feel that the worst of the economic crisis "could now be behind us".
He noted that while trading has been "light" during the morning session, the release of US existing homes statistics this afternoon should give further encouragement to investors.
