Europe shares turn higher, Roche lifts drugmakers

European shares turned positive in choppy early trade on Friday, led by pharma stocks, and ahead of unemployment figures out of Europe and GDP data from the United States.

At 0844 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was up 0.3 percent at 798.72 points, reversing early losses.

Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG rose 2.6 percent after it launched a hostile bid for Genentech, and cut its offer for the remaining stake in the U.S. biotechnology company it does not already own.

Across Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 was up 0.3 percent, while Germany's DAX was down 0.2 percent and and France's CAC-40 down 0.1 percent.