London - The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index advanced on Friday and headed for its best monthly performance in 5½ years, with Germany's DAX share index outperforming after encouraging retail sales data.
The DAX rose 0.6% after German retail sales increased for a fifth consecutive year in 2014, rising by 1.4% in real terms, reflecting the buoyant mood among consumers in Europe's largest economy.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index was up 0.3% at 1 478 points by 10:08. The index has gained nearly 8% this month, its best month in percentage terms since mid-2009, on expectations of a bond-buying programme by the European Central Bank (ECB), which was finally announced earlier in January.
Swedish hygiene and paper products maker SCA rose 7.9% after posting a bigger than expected rise in core fourth-quarter profit despite higher raw material costs and headwinds from a stronger dollar.