European stocks inch higher on Wednesday after a wobbly start to the week, as investors balanced risks from a spike in global COVID-19 cases with signs of a steady economic recovery in the continent.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.1% by 0712 GMT, with travel and leisure stocks recovering from sharp falls earlier this week, driven by worries about the fast-spreading Delta variant.
UK’s FTSE 100 rose 0.1%, supported by a weaker pound after data showed British inflation fell to the Bank of England’s 2% target last month in an unexpectedly sharp slowdown.
The German DAX and France’s CAC 40 40 were flat.
In individual stocks, Danish brewer Carlsberg rose 2.8% after it raised its full-year earnings guidance and said beer volumes in key markets China and Russia had risen to “well above” pre-pandemic levels.
The FTSE MIB climbed down by 0.07% to 26,210.30. In the cash markets, the DAX Germany was trading down 0.19% to 15,886.65. CAC 40 in France fell by 0.37 % to 6,793.22 while the FTSE 100 in the U.K. were down by 0.40% to 7,151.35. ,at the time of writing.
