The German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, January 4, 2019. REUTERS/Staff
January 7, 2019
LONDON (Reuters) – European shares were slightly higher on Monday, building on solid gains in the previous session as investors clung to hopes that Washington and Beijing will make progress towards ending a prolonged trade spat that has roiled global markets.
The pan-European STOXX 600 <.STOXX> was up 0.1 percent at 0835 GMT. Gains were tentative amid nervousness as talks between the world’s two largest economies kicked off in the Chinese capital.
On Friday, stocks posted their biggest daily gain since June 2016 after better-than-expected U.S. jobs data and amid growing hopes of a truce between China and the United States.
Frankfurt’s DAX <.GDAXI>, whose constituents are vulnerable to trade frictions, was leading the gains.
Sectors sensitive to the trade tensions were the biggest gainers, with basic resources stocks <.SXPP> up 1.2 percent, technology up 0.5 percent and oil and gas stocks gaining 0.4 percent.
Chipmakers were also recovering from heavy losses last week after Apple’s shock revenue warning. AMS <AMS.S> which supplies the iPhone maker, was up 8 percent, topping the STOXX 600.
Broker research moved other stocks, with Dutch payments firm Adyen <ADYEN.AS> among the top gainers after BAML upgraded it, and Centrica falling 3.9 percent after Jefferies downgrade.
(Reporting by Josephine Mason, Editing by Helen Reid)
