European stocks gained ground for a second consecutive session as a broad rally helped the market touch a new six-and-a-half year high before the release of US jobs data.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 0.35 per cent to 1,1617.01. The benchmark index, up 9 per cent so far this year, reached 1,619.51 earlier in the session, a level not seen since late 2000.
Despite announcing job cuts, US computer maker Dell helped boost Europe's tech shares with better-than-expected quarterly results.
German chip maker Infineon was up 1.7 per cent, and SAP gained 3 per cent, supported by market talk that US software firm and archrival Oracle had acquired a stake in the German firm.
The market was bracing for US non-farm payroll figures for May, expected to show that 130,000 jobs were added, compared with a 88,000 increase in April.
Around Europe, the FTSE 100 gained 0.1 per cent, the DAX added 0.8 per cent, while France's CAC 40 rose 0.4 per cent.
Reuters
