Frankfurt DAX: 2691.29 (+19.43)

German shares finished strongly, boosted by German government bonds which had risen on reports that Russian President Boris Yeltsin's heart operation had been successfully completed. The release of lower German industrial orders in September, data taken as suggesting that there was no need to rein back the economy with higher interest rates, also helped German debt prices higher.

Paris CAC-40: 2187.32 (+45.17)

French shares closed sharply higher, but below the year's highs, on the back of a rally in bonds, market relief over Yeltsin's heart surgery and bullishness on Wall Street.

Milan Mibtel: 9895 (+262)

Italian stocks ended at the day's highs with gains of around three percent on Tuesday, boosted by soaring Italian bond futures with the December Liffe Btp contract hitting a historic high. Dealers said traded volumes were not enormous but interest had returned to several blue-chip stocks.