By 0710 GMT, the pan-European STOXX 600 index <.STOXX> was up 0.1%, while the euro zone's STOXXE <.STOXXE> gained 0.2%, a day after both the bourses hit fresh 2019 peaks on hopes that France's Christine Lagarde will stick to ECB's dovish policy stance as the bank's next chief.
Trade-sensitive auto stocks <.SXAP> and technology companies <.SX8P> sectors led the charge among European sectors on news that top representatives from the United States and China are arranging to resume talks next week.
Also helping the auto stocks were gains in shares of French car parts company Valeo
On top of the STOXX 600 was Finnish engineering group Metso
German lighting company Osram
Italy's FTMIB <.FTMIB> hit a fresh two-month peak, while its bank index <.FTIT8300> climbed about 2%, after the European Commission dropped its threat of disciplinary action against the country.
Meanwhile, on the Wall Street, which is closed for Independence Day, the three main indexes clinched fresh record closing highs on Wednesday after a spate of weak economic data firmed bets that the U.S. Federal Reserve would cut interest rates to counter slowing growth.