LONDON, Oct 13 (Reuters) - European shares hit a three-week closing high on Wednesday, driven by strong U.S. company results and growing expectations of fresh economic stimulus, with miners topping the risers on hopes of improving raw materials demand.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares provisionally ended 1.5 percent firmer at 1,086.83 points, the highest close since Sept. 20.
But stocks traded on NYSE Euronext had been affected by technical problems.
Miners featured among the top gainers, with the STOXX Europe 600 basic resources index rising 3.2 percent. BHP Billiton, Anglo American, Antofagasta, Rio Tinto, Xstrata and ENRC jumped 1.6 to 5.3 percent.
"Another bumper day of gains as the market gets drunk on the prospect of quantitative easing mark 2. The bulls have also been well supported by a great start to the third quarter earnings session in the U.S.," said Angus Campbell, head of sales at Capital Spreads.
JPMorgan Chase & Co posted a 23 percent increase in quarterly profit, beating expectations, as a stabilising economy helped ease losses on credit card loans. (Reporting by Atul Prakash)