Europe's main stock markets rose at the start of trading on Wednesday, with London's FTSE 100 index of top companies up 0.33 percent to 5,888.39 points as the British government prepared to deliver its budget update.
Frankfurt's DAX 30 index advanced 0.61 percent to 7,480.59 points and in Paris the CAC 40 gained 0.60 percent to 3,602.59 following solid gains across Asian stock markets.
Britain's finance minister George Osborne was due to unveil an updated budget at 1230 GMT and was expected to admit that it could take longer than hoped to slash the country's deficit owing to a weak economy.
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