European stocks finished higher in choppy trading Friday, logging 17-month highs amid a backdrop of mixed signals about U.S. budget talks.
European shares closed higher on Thursday, getting a fresh boost from stronger-than-expected U.S. housing data.
European shares pared losses in afternoon trading on Wednesday to close higher after U.S. House Speaker John Boehner said he was optimistic that a deal on the U.S. "fiscal cliff" of tax rises and spending cuts could be reached.
European shares edged higher on Tuesday after an agreement by international lenders to cut Greece's debt gave some short-term support to investor sentiment.
European shares ended a five-day winning streak on Monday as a slump in Barclays after a shareholder sold warrants in the company resulted in it leading both financial stocks and the broader market lower.