European shares rose on Thursday, resuming the two-week rally that has propelled indexes to multi-year highs.
Stock index futures erased their early losses to turn higher Wednesday as investors cheered an upbeat retail sales report that showed the biggest gain since last September.
European shares closed off their lows on Wednesday after retail sales data in the U.S. was released.
Asian shares fell on Wednesday as investors took profits for a second straight session on concerns that the region's recent rally may be headed for a correction.
European shares were flat on Friday as talks over the "fiscal cliff" stalled.