European stocks hit day’s high as banks surge

European shares extended gains to hit their day's highs in afternoon trade on Friday as financial stocks rose further and Wall Street notched up early advances.
At 1352 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European stocks was up 1.6 percent at 1,172.84 points, having just hit the day's high of 1,173.16 points.
Banks were the top gainers with the DJ Stoxx European banking sector index up 3.1 percent. HBOS and Royal Bank of Scotland jumped more than 6 percent, while Barclays, UBS and Lloyds TSB gained more than 4.5 percent.
Britain's FTSE 100 was up 1.9 percent, while Germany's DAX and France's CAC were up 1.6 percent.