BANGKOK—World shares were higher Thursday after stocks advanced on Wall Street, lifted by encouraging reports about the potential impact of the omicron variant of coronavirus and stronger U.S. economic data. Major indexes are on track for a Christmas week gains, with trading thinning as the holidays approach. Many world markets will be closed Friday in observance of Christmas. Germany’s DAX rose 0.2 percent in early trading to 15,629.92 and the CAC 40 in Paris edged 0.1 percent higher to 7,058.21. Britain’s FTSE 100 edged down 0.1 percent to 7,331.40. U.S. futures advanced, with contracts for both the S&P 500 and the Dow industrials up 0.1 percent. The latest surge in coronavirus cases because of the omicron variant has been hanging over markets, along with concerns about rising inflation and its impact on economic growth. Governments in Asia and Europe have tightened travel controls or pushed back plans to relax curbs …