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(Reuters) -European stocks kicked off the new quarter with gains on Thursday, as optimism around a new U.S. government spending plan and strong factory activity data out of the euro zone eclipsed concerns about another lockdown in France.
The German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, March 31, 2021. REUTERS/Staff
The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.5%, hovering just 2 points below its all-time high. The benchmark ended the first quarter with a 7.7% rise - its fourth straight quarter of gains.
The German DAX climbed 0.6% to hit a record high, while the UK’s FTSE 100 also gained 0.6%.
European stocks inch towards record high as PMIs, chip rally support
By Sruthi Shankar
(Reuters) -European stocks kicked off the new quarter with gains on Thursday, as optimism around a new U.S. government spending plan and strong factory activity data out of the euro zone eclipsed concerns about another lockdown in France.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.5%, hovering just 2 points below its all-time high. The benchmark ended the first quarter with a 7.7% rise – its fourth straight quarter of gains.
The German DAX climbed 0.6% to hit a record high, while the UK’s FTSE 100 also gained 0.6%.
Despite slow vaccination programmes and a fresh pandemic wave hitting several countries, European markets have recovered almost all of their pandemic-driven losses on strong manufacturing activity and a bounceback in economy-linked stocks such as banks and energy.
European stocks enter new quarter with small gains European chip companies including ASML, ASMI and Infineon Technologies, rise
about 2 hours ago
The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.2 per cent in early trading, hovering just 3 points below its all-time high
European stocks kicked off the new quarter with small gains on Thursday, as optimism around a new US government spending plan eclipsed concerns of another Covid-19 wave with France imposing a third national lockdown.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.2 per cent in early trading, hovering just 3 points below its all-time high. The benchmark ended the first quarter with a 7. per cent rise - its fourth straight quarter of gains.