Chipmaker AMS (>> ams AG) rose 13.6 percent, poised for its best-ever day following results while food-processing machinery maker GEA (>> GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft) was up 5.5 percent after a setting a brighter outlook for its profits.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index <.STOXX> rose 0.2 percent with bluechip healthcare stocks, industrials and mining stocks underpinning gains.

Chipmaker AMS (>> ams AG) shares surged more than 16 percent and were on track for their best day in nearly 13 years after the company's fourth-quarter revenue came in at the top end of the chipmaker's expectations.

Among sector movers, the European mining index <.SXPP> rose 0.9 percent, the best performer in STOXX 600 index, helped by a rise in base and precious metals miners.

On the flipside, shares of BP (>> BP plc) fell 2.5 percent, the biggest drags on the STOXX 600 after the company missed estimates. Peer Statoil (>> Statoil ASA) also fell after a disappointing set of results.

French banks, among the best performers across European financials in 2016, fell after BNP Paribas (>> BNP Paribas) reported results below forecasts.

(Reporting by Atul Prakash, Editing by Vikram Subhedar)