BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks rose slightly on Friday as upbeat manufacturing data from China helped offset investor concerns over prospects of a U.S.-China trade pact.
A private survey showed factory activity in China expanded at its quickest pace since February 2017.
The Caixin/Markit manufacturing PMI rose to 51.7 in October from 51.4 for September, as production and new orders both expanded at a faster pace.
The data contrasted with the official gauge showing a contraction for the sixth consecutive month.
On the trade front, optimism over a concrete U.S.-China trade deal faded after a Bloomberg report suggested that Chinese officials are unwilling to budge on the thorniest issues and have cast doubts about reaching a comprehensive long-term trade agreement.
Investors appeared somewhat soothed by U.S. President Trump's comments that the U.S. and China are working on a new site to sign phase one of the trade deal.
The pan European Stoxx 600 was up 0.4 percent at 398.28 after losing half a percent the previous day.
The German DAX and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 were up around 0.4 percent while France's CAC 40 index was gaining 0.3 percent.
Transport and logistics services company DSV Panalpina jumped nearly 8 percent after reporting strong third-quarter results.
Novo Nordisk A/S advanced 1.6 percent after the Danish pharmaceutical company posted a forecast-beating third-quarter net profit.
Miners Anglo American, Antofagasta and Glencore were up between half a percent and 1 percent.
BHP Group rose about half a percent after it has approved $44 million for BHP Billiton Brasil Ltda's share of funding for work related to the restart of Samarco operations at its Germano complex in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Oil & gas firm BP Plc climbed 1.2 percent and Royal Dutch Shell added 0.7 percent as oil prices steadied after a rough week on concerns over the outlook for energy demand.
Vodafone Group gained half a percent after announcing a strategic partnership with Fairphone.
Pest control firm Rentokil Initial gained nearly 1 percent after announcing the acquisition of Florida Pest Control.
Tesco advanced 0.8 percent after it pledged to remove one billion pieces of plastic packaging from products in its U.K. stores by the end of 2020.
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