LONDON, Oct 18: European stock markets surged yesterday as investors snapped up bargains, ending a roller-coaster week marked by alarm over fading global growth, a reemergence of eurozone tensions and the spreading Ebola virus.
Having already mounted a robust late recovery on Thursday following sharp losses earlier in the session, indices shot higher to claw back much of the week's losses by the end of Friday.
"European equity markets managed to hold on to early gains during the last session of the week with most major benchmark indices posting healthy gains throughout the day," said Kash Kamal from Sucden Financial.
London's benchmark FTSE 100 index climbed 1.85 per cent compared to Thursday's close to end the week at 6,310.29 points.
In Paris, the CAC 40 jumped 2.92 per cent to 4,033.18 points, while Frankfurt's DAX index surged 3.12 per cent to 8,850.27 points.
The Athens market closed up 7.21 per cent after sizeable falls this week, sparked by concerns Greece could be set for a fresh financial crisis after it says it hopes to exit its IMF bailout plan early.
Prime Minister Antonis Samaras Friday reiterated that Greece does not need the aid programme, but said it is open to keeping a precautionary credit line with the eurozone's bailout fund.