European stocks extended gains in thin trade today, lifted by technology shares after a solid overnight performance on Wall Street and firmer oil shares as hopes for an OPEC oil cut grew.
Spanish bank Santander Central Hispano also stood out among the gainers, as Spain's top companies shrugged off the crisis in Argentina, where they have significant interests, after a three-day break in trading.
The markets have long discounted Argentina's bankruptcy and Spanish banks have under-performed their European peers, said Guillermo Hermida, director of pan-European fund management for SCH Gestion in Madrid.
By 10.20 a.m. GMT, the blue-chip FTSE Eurotop 300 was up 0.54 per cent and the narrower Dow Jones Eurostoxx 50 gained 1.24 per cent.
The DJ Stoxx technology index posted the biggest sectoral gain, with a rise of 1.93 per cent.
World number one mobile phone maker Nokia and Dutch electronics giant Philips led the tech charge with gains of more than two per cent.
The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 0.53 per cent on Wednesday, and the tech-laden Nasdaq Composite ended 0.83 per cent higher.
US futures indicated further modest gains at the open today.