BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks rose broadly on Monday as hopes of further stimulus on both sides of the Atlantic helped investors shrug off concerns over an accelerated spread of Covid-19 across the continent.
As talks resume, investors remain hopeful that U.S. lawmakers will eventually pass a new stimulus package.
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde is due to speak later today amid expectations that she will give an indication on upcoming interest rates and a stimulus.
The pan European Stoxx 600 edged up 0.4 percent to 371.85 after rising 0.6 percent on Friday.
The German DAX inched up 0.2 percent and France's CAC 40 index gained 0.4 percent while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was marginally lower as London braces for tougher restrictions to contain the coronavirus spread.
Banks were seeing modest gains on growing expectations of a Democratic victory in the U.S. presidential election.
Automakers were broadly higher, with Daimler and Peugeot rising over 1 percent after reports that the European Union's new trade chief has called on Washington to withdraw tariffs on more than $7 billion (€5.9 billion) of EU products or face additional duties on exports to Europe. Aerospace giant Airbus SE edged up half a percent.
KPN shares surged 7.4 percent on a Bloomberg report that private-equity group EQT was considering a takeover offer for the Dutch telecommunications company.
British gambling group GVC Holdings fell over 2 percent after warning that full-year profits will be reduced by up to £40mln per year.
Aveva slumped 4.5 percent. The provider of engineering and industrial software said that interim revenues will be lower than last year.
National Express Group lost about 4 percent after announcing a new group chief executive.
Total SA shed 0.6 percent, BP Plc fell 1.3 percent and Royal Dutch Shell gave up 1.6 percent as oil prices slipped more than 1 percent on fears of oversupply.
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