* FTSEurofirst 300 up 1 percent
* Miners rebound; Fresnillo gains after results
* Banks higher after JP Morgan results
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By Brian Gorman
LONDON, April 13 (Reuters) - Banks led European shares higher on Wednesday after forecast-beating results at JPMorgan, while miners and energy companies were among others to rebound following the previous session's losses.
Strategists said attractive valuations suggested further upward momentum. European banks extended gains, up 1.5 percent, after U.S. peer JPMorgan Chase posted higher first-quarter earnings as it set aside less money to cover bad loans.
"The results are better than expected, which should boost the banking sector, at least in the short term. The initial market reaction on French banking shares is positive and confirms that the sector's positive momentum is intact," said Gwenael Moy, head of IG Markets France.
At 1147 GMT, the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares was up 1 percent at 1,138.63 points, rebounding from its biggest one-day fall in a month on Tuesday as worries over the scale of Japan's nuclear crisis prompted a bout of profit-taking.
"One day they're down, the next day they're up, but we would still say they'll be up 10-12 percent between now and year-end," said Karen Olney, head of thematic strategy at UBS.
"We've had lots of hiccups along the way, but we're still at mid-cycle. Valuations are still very supportive. In an inflationary backdrop, and with huge government debt levels, people are getting more nervous about government bonds, so equity becomes the logical home for capital." Strong earnings helped silver producer Fresnillo rise 2 percent after the firm's gold production rose to a record in the first quarter and it said it was on track to meet its silver target for 2011.
Within the sector, the STOXX Europe 600 basic resources index was up 0.8 percent, after falling 4.3 percent in the previous session, with a rebound in metals prices supporting gains.
Energy companies gained as crude prices edged up above $121, partly reversing a deep sell-off, as foreign ministers met for talks on Libya's future and the market awaited U.S. inventory data for possible signs of demand attrition.
Heavyweights to rise included BG Group, Total, BP and Royal Dutch Shell, up between 1.1 and 1.4 percent.
Across Europe, Britain's FTSE 100, Germany's DAX and France's CAC40 rose between 1.2 and 1.3 percent.
LONZA FALLS
Among other individual shares, Swiss drugs industry supplier Lonza fell 4.4 percent after warning on Wednesday that the strong Swiss franc and high raw material prices would dent its first-half performance despite solid sales in the first quarter.
Sentiment on Wednesday was also supported by gains in Asian markets, with Japan's Nikkei recouping some of the previous session's losses.
"With Asian markets up overnight that's having a knock-on effect," said Mark Foulds, dealer at ETX Capital.
The pan-European index is up more than 6 percent since hitting 3-1/2 month lows in mid March on worries over the impact of an earthquake in Japan and political unrest in the Middle East and North Africa.
The 12-month forward price-earnings ratio for the Stoxx 600 is 10.8, compared with a 10-year average of 13.5, according to Thomson Reuters Datastream.
Overall, first-quarter earnings season would be "neutral to slightly disappointing" for the market, Olney said. "Earnings expectations are a little bit high."
Later in the session, focus is likely to fall on U.S. retail sales for March at 1230 GMT, with investors expecting a 0.5 percent rise in sales compared to a 1 percent increase in February. (Additional reporting by Harpreet Bhal and Blaise Robinson; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)