(Reuters) - European shares were set to rise on Wednesday, tracking advances on Wall Street and in Japan and extending gains from the previous session, as worries about Egypt eased and data suggested a strong economic recovery.
Financial spreadbetters expected Britain's FTSE 100 to open as much as 18 points higher, or 0.3 percent; Germany's DAX to open up to 9 points higher, or as much as 0.1 percent and France's CAC to open up to 10 points higher, or as much as 0.3 percent.
On Tuesday, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of leading European shares rose 1.4 percent to 1,159.80 points, boosted by strong manufacturing data from both the euro zone and the United States.
The European benchmark is up more than 79 percent from its lifetime low of March, 2009, with several major economies having emerged from recession, helped by stimulus from governments and central banks worldwide.
Spanish bank BBVA, which has matched forecasts with its results, is among a raft of companies reporting.
The Dow and S&P 500 closed at their highest levels since June 2008 on Tuesday. Japan's Nikkei index rose 1.8 percent on Wednesday.
"With geopolitical concerns easing once again as Mubarak promises to leave power after the elections, global equity markets are looking as if the Egyptian crisis never happened and the upward trend has resumed," said Cameron Peacock, market analyst at IG Markets, in a note.
COMPANIES
BBVA
Spain's second-biggest bank reported a 9.4 percent rise in full-year net profit, with lower margins and higher provisions at home offset by a strong performance in its Mexican business.
ROCHE
The Swiss drugmaker joined peers in striking a cautious note on 2011 as the sector grapples with U.S. healthcare reforms and a push in Europe for lower drug prices. The world's largest maker of cancer drugs, which is looking to cut costs after a string of product setbacks, posted a 4 percent rise in 2010 core earnings per share, after sales growth of top-selling cancer drug Avastin slowed.
BP
BP said U.S. regulators were considering filing charges against it related to alleged manipulation of the gas market.
