European shares gain on U.S. data, rate decisions
* FTSEurofirst 300 gains 0.3 percent in choppy session
* Stocks rebound after U.S. jobless claims data
* Retailers among top gainers, miners slip
* For up-to-the-minute market news, click on [STXNEWS/EU]
By Atul Prakash
LONDON, Nov 5 (Reuters) - European shares turned positive on Thursday afternoon after data showed new claims for U.S. jobless aid fell to a 10-month low last week and business productivity in the third quarter grew at the fastest pace in six years.
The market also got some support after the Bank of England and the European Central Bank kept interest rates on hold and BoE said it would expand its quantitative easing programme by 25 billion pounds ($41 billion). [ID:nL5152809] [ID:nL5403327]
The two central banks' decisions came a day after the U.S. Federal Reserve said it would keep interest rates near zero for an extended period. Continued...
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