European shares rally on banks and commodities

LONDON, June 19 (Reuters) - European shares rose on Friday, led by banks and commodity stocks as optimism returned on the global economic recovery following recent improving economic data.

The FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European companies closed 1.5 percent higher provisionally at 863.32 points on the day of "triple witching", after rising 0.6 percent on Thursday to snap a four-session losing run.

But the index was still down 2.5 percent for the week.

Banks were among the top gainers on Friday, with Barclays (BARC.L), Banco Santander (SAN.MC), Standard Chartered (STAN.L) and Societe Generale (SOGN.PA) up between 1.2 and 5 percent.

Commodity stocks were also in demand on firmer raw material prices. BP (BP.L), Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.AS), BHP Billiton (BLT.L) and Rio Tinto (RIO.L) put on 2 percent to 2.5 percent.

Across Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE rose 1.5 percent, Germany's DAX .GDAXI was flat and France's CAC 40 .FCHI advanced 0.9 percent.

Triple witching is the expiry of stock index futures, stock index options and single stock options. (Reporting by Dominic Lau)