European sharemarkets rose on Thursday after the release of a report showing economic growth in Eurozone for the first quarter of 2008 was better than expected.

Eurostat said that gross domestic product in the 15 countries using the euro increased by 0.7 percent in the first three months of the year from the previous quarter, better than the half a percent growth figure anticipated by analysts.

At the close of trading on Thursday, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of pan-European blue chips added 5.160 points, or 0.381 percent, to close at 1,359.86, while the UK's FTSE 100 index added 35.80 points, or 0.58 percent, to close at 6251.80.

France's CAC index made a slight gain, adding 2.27 points, or 0.04 percent, to close at 5057.51, while, Germany's DAX index made a slight loss, losing 2.19 points, or 0.03 percent, to close at 7081.05.

On the commodity markets, Brent Crude oil added 88 US cents or 0.7 percent, to be worth US$122.91, while on the Forex Gold Index, gold added US$14.75, or 1.7 percent, to close at US$881.25.

© NewsRoom 2008