Tech follows U.S. peers higher
Hawkish ECB boosts euro, banks
Symrise slides on EBITDA miss

Jan 23 Reuters European stocks edged higher on Monday, lifted by technology and mining shares, as expectations of a mild recession in the euro zone offset hawkish remarks from European Central Bank ECB officials that sent the euro to a ninemonth high.

The panEuropean STOXX 600 index rose 0.2 after posting its first weekly decline of the year on Friday. Tech stocks jumped 1.4 after their Wall Street peers rallied on Friday following upbeat results from streaming giant Netflix Inc.

The euro climbed 0.4 and euro zone banks added 0.7 after ECB governing council member Klaas Knot said on Sunday the central bank was set to increase interest rates by 50 basis points in both February and March and would continue to raise rates in the months after.

Investors will look for more clues on the central bank39;s tightening plans when ECB President Christine Lagarde speaks later in the day.

The benchmark STOXX 600 index hit a ninemonth high last week as a warm winter in Europe, evidence of moderating inflation and China abandoning its tight COVID19 rules brightened the outlook for Europe39;s economy.

With the earnings season underway, investors are waiting to see if the results will continue to support the recent rally in markets.

Fourthquarter earnings for STOXX 600 companies are forecast to have grown by 10.7 yearonyear, the slowest in two years, according to Refinitiv IBES data….