European shares extend gains as U.S. stocks rise

LONDON Jan 24 (Reuters) - European shares extended gains on Thursday, with the market taking direction from an opening rise on Wall Street.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index was up by 0.1 percent to 1,169.32 points by 1455 GMT, close to an intraday high of 1,169.86 points.

The euro zone's blue-chip Euro STOXX 50 index also advanced by 0.3 percent to 2,715.04 points.

"Clients are feeling pretty positive on the markets in general at the moment," said a Geneva-based trader.