European shares closed higher on Friday as commodity prices strengthened.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares rose 0.2 percent to close at 862.17 points.
Oil and gas stocks were among top gainers as the price of crude oil rose to a six-month high of more than $US66 per barrel.
In Frankfurt, the DAX index ended at 4940.82 points, up 7.94 or 0.16%.
In Paris, the CAC-40 index closed at 3277.65 points, up 13.95 or 0.43%.
The Swiss market index closed at 5349.74 points, down 0.85 or 0.02%.
In London, the FTSE 100 closed 30.40 higher, 0.7%, at 4,417.94. The index is up 4.1% to date this month.
Other markets
In Toyko, the Nikkei stock average rose 71.11 points, 0.75%, to close at 9,522.50.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index was up 285.73 points, 1.6%, at 18,171.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 index rose 62.3 points, 1.66%, to 3,818. The All Ordinaries index gained 58.5 points, or 1.56%, to 3,812.4.
On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index contract was 76 points higher to 3812 on a volume of 30,113 contracts.
NZX50
In New Zealand, the NZX50 index rose 42 points, or 1.5% on Friday, to close at 2764 on turnover of $109 million.
Telecom was down 1 cent to $2.51, Fletcher Building was up 20c to $6.50 and Contact Energy remained unchanged at $5.72.
Tower was up 11c to $1.68 after announcing its half year profit rose 33% to $26.6 million, on the same period a year ago.
Fisher & Paykel Appliances was up 4c to $1.10. The Warehouse was up 7c at $3.69. New Zealand Oil & Gas up 11c to $1.60.
Air New Zealand was unchanged at $1.06. Mainfreight was down 7c to $4.52.
In currency markets: the New Zealand dollar was trading at 62.75 US cents, 79.59 Australian cents, 39.26 pence, 60.52 yen and 0.4486 euro. The Trade Weighted Index stood at 59.71.
