LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European shares edged higher on Thursday afternoon to build on annual highs. Healthcare stocks were advancing, with GlaxoSmithKline (UK:GSK 1,261, +36.00, +2.94%) shares up 2.8% after a generic threat to one of its drugs appeared to recede. The U.K. FTSE 100 index rose 0.2% to 5,657.64, the German DAX index advanced 0.1% to 6,029.99 and the French CAC-40 index rose 0.1% to 3,960.89.