FTSE 100 Index

European stocks added to their gains Thursday, encouraged by data on US retail sales in July, which fended off worries about a recession in the world's largest economy. 

The pan-European STOXX 600 index gained 1.15%, a near-15-day high, reversing its downward trend.

European stocks opened trading lower as investors in the region weighed political uncertainty in France following Sunday’s election result.

Shares in London rose today after Labour’s sweeping victory in the general election, creating a sense of stability for investors who expect it to end years of market volatility.

The blue-chips FTSE 100 index rose 0.3 percent after posting its best daily performance in nearly two months yesterday, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 index was up 0.2 percent at 10:05 a.m. GMT.

The bosses of more than a third of Britain's top companies on Feb. 23 urged voters to keep the country in the European Union, warning that an exit from the bloc would threaten jobs.