European shares recorded a slight increase and the oil sector fell

European shares rose on Thursday, led by gains in automakers and defense sectors, while oil stocks tumbled, as a US plan to withdraw from strategic petroleum reserves sent crude prices down.

The European index rose 0.2 percent, although oil stocks fell 1.5 percent.

The FTSE 100 index in London rose 0.1 percent after data showed Britain’s economy grew faster than expected in the fourth quarter of last year.