German Feb industry output rises more than forecast
Shell climbs on higher LNG output expectations
Zurich Insurance is second firm to quit climate alliance
STOXX 600 rises 0.5

April 6 Reuters European shares rose on Thursday, heading into a long Easter weekend break, as real estate and travel stocks helped outweigh concerns over a U.S. economic slowdown that were triggered by lacklustre data.

The panEuropean STOXX 600 index rose 0.5, posting its third consecutive weekly gain, with banking stocks among the biggest boosts.

After a strong start to the year, European equities remained under selling pressure from last month as the recent banking turmoil kept the risk sentiment fragile, with skittish investors fretting about mixed economic data and a looming recession.

Markets still expect the European Central Bank ECB to continue its rate hikes in the next policy meeting.

With ECB Chief Economist Philip Lane warning that food price inflation in the EU was still rising, the pressure is building for further rate hikes from the ECB in the coming weeks, Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK, said.

Economic data in the U.S. suggested the labour market is feeling the effects of the Federal Reserve39;s string of hawkish interest rate hikes in its attempt to cool down the economy and, in so doing, rein in inflation.

Investors will keep a close eye on a key U.S. jobs report due on Friday for more clues on the outlook for global interest rates.

Back in the…