European stocks end higher on easing trade, geopolitical tensions
Stoxx 600 up 0.44%, Germany's DAX surges 0.6%, UK's FTSE rises 0.16%, France's CAC climbs 0.21%
ISTANBUL
European stock markets closed the first trading day of the week with gains, driven by optimism that trade tensions between the US and China may ease and declining geopolitical risks.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 index increased 0.44%, or 2.47 points, to close the day at 566.63.
Germany's DAX 40 index was up 0.6% to end at 24,387.93 points, and the UK's FTSE 100 gained 0.16% to end at 9,442.87 points.
France's CAC 40 rose 0.21% to 7,934.26, and Italy's FTSE MIB index added 0.29% to close at 42,167.59 points.
Spain's IBEX 35 index was up 0.42% to end the midweek at 15,541.6 points.
European markets responded positively to the prospect of a de-escalation of trade tensions between the US and China and the diminishing geopolitical risks in the Middle East.
In a social media post yesterday, US President Donald Trump stated that the US wants to help China, not harm it.
Emphasizing that he had not canceled his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, Trump later said that there was no need to worry about China and that "it will all be fine."
The euro/dollar parity was down 0.4% at around 1.1575 as of 1710GMT.
