European shares rose for the fourth session in five today, with Barclays leading banks up and energy companies reversing earlier losses as crude prices gained more than 3 percent, according to Reuters. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares rose 0.6 percent to close provisionally at 831.46 points, its highest close since Jan.13. The index is now virtually flat this year after plunging 45 percent in 2008 due to a financial sector crisis and the prospect of a global recession. Banks rose, supported by better-than-expected results at Barclays, which rose 10.9 percent after posting a 6.1 billion pound ($9 billion) profit and saying credit market losses were waning. Other banks on the rise included Deutsche Bank up 6.2 percent, Unicredit up 5.1 percent and Commerzbank, up 8.5 percent.
