Susan Mathew

European shares logged yet another day of strong gains on Wednesday, making up almost all of the losses at the start of the week, cheered by signs of an imminent Brexit trade deal.

European shares reversed earlier losses to close higher on Friday, led by ASML and L'Oreal, although a dip in Volkswagen weighed on Germany's main index.

European shares fell 1% on Wednesday, reversing course after hitting one-month highs earlier in the session as a jump in oil prices added to lingering concerns over the economic impact of the Ukraine crisis and as traders took profits.

A clutch of positive earnings including from chipmaker ASML and consumer stock Danone, helped European shares rebound on Wednesday, although worries over the Ukraine-Russia war, slowing growth and rising yields kept gains in check.

European shares ended a choppy session slightly higher on Friday but were down on the week as investors worried about the fallout from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while a rally in the commodities sector kept a lid on declines.

European shares rose on Friday as a rally in commodity-linked and bank stocks helped outweigh worries about economic growth and inflation, with Europe remaining on alert for a disruption to gas imports from Russia.

Strong earnings lifted European shares to two-month highs on Thursday, while French shares outperformed as President Emmanuel Macron maintained his lead in polls ahead of Sunday's election runoff with far-right rival Marine Le Pen.

European shares slipped on Thursday, widening a quarterly loss that would be the first in two years, led by retail stocks after H&M's profit fell far short of expectations.

European shares gained on Monday with tech stocks rallying more than 2%, while investors kept an eye out for more Western sanctions after Ukraine accused Russia of war crimes.

European shares edged higher on Tuesday as investors awaited a batch of fresh sanctions on Moscow, while France's blue-chip index slumped after opinion polls for presidential elections due later this month tightened.