European shares advanced on Friday, as calmer conditions in the bond market buoyed the region's equity indexes, Reuters reported The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 0.2 percent. Swiss group Roche was the best performer on the FTSEurofirst 300, climbing 2.9 percent after reporting strong results from cancer drug trials. Syngenta also edged up 0.4 percent after industry sources told Reuters that U.S. seeds giant Monsanto was trying to line up buyers for assets worth up to $8 billion to appease competition authorities before making a fresh takeover approach for Syngenta. Traders said signs that jitters in the bond market this week were starting to recede were also helping to prop up European stock markets.
