European shares at fresh seven-year high as ECB QE nears

European shares rose to fresh seven-year highs on Friday, extending a two-month rally fueled by the European Central Bank's money printing program which starts in the coming weeks. European shares bucked a softer trend in Asian and U.S. markets as a sharp overnight pullback in crude oil prices dampened risk appetite there. The FTSEurofirst 300 index (.FTEU3) index of top European shares was up 0.3 percent at 1,561.60 points, with strong annual results from Airbus Group (AIR.PA), the world's second-largest aerospace company, spurring the rally. About two-thirds of the way into Europe's earnings season, 55 percent of companies have met or beaten profit forecasts.

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