European stocks finished higher Friday as investors, viewing measures of the European Central Bank's stimulus as supportive to the financial sector, bought bank shares.

U.S. stocks finished higher Friday, clinching their fourth straight weekly gain and highest close of the year, as crude oil prices rallied and worries about slowing global growth faded.

Shares were up in Asia early Monday, extending a four-week rally ahead of key meetings this week by central banks in the U.S. and Japan. Investors are now looking to the Federal Reserve's meeting on March 15-16. The Bank of Japan is also expected to keep monetary policy unchanged after announcing a move to negative interest rates in late January.

Based on MarketWatch materials