World stocks pushed higher after better-than-forecast US retail sales suggested the world's biggest economy was stabilizing while the dollar held broadly steady ahead of US jobs data. European shares were higher in early trade, following gains in Asia and the United States overnight, and ahead of a key US labour market report. At 0920 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was up 0.4 percent at 1,040.83 points, on course for a rise of more than 3 percent in the week, and for a sixth straight day of gains. The European benchmark is up more than 61 percent from its lifetime low on March 9, 2009. Japan's Nikkei average rose 2.2 percent, as a report that the Bank of Japan was considering monetary easing steps helped the yen to weaken and after better-than-expected U.S. monthly retail sales. The benchmark Nikkei .N225 climbed 223.24 points to 10,368.96, erasing a 1.1 percent decline booked the previous day and rising 2.4 percent on the week, its fourth positive week this year. It gained a mere 3 points last week.

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