STOXX 600 set for muted quarter, eyes monthly gain
Energy, real estate among top gainers
U.S. PCE data, eurozone inflation numbers in focus
ASML drops on Dutch government39;s export restrictions

June 30 Reuters European shares rose on Friday as lacklustre data on China39;s factory activity spurred hopes of more policy stimulus, while investors awaited key inflation readings for more clues on the direction of global interest rates.

The panEuropean STOXX 600 index was up 0.7 by 0825 GMT.

The index was set for muted returns at the end of the quarter, with mounting evidence of China39;s weak postCOVID recovery and concerns about higherforlonger global interest rates, having stalled a rally in equities that began early this year.

Banks are the biggest gainers among major European sectors this quarter, up 6, while miners have been a big drag, down 9 as worries around top metals consumer China weighed heavily on metal prices.

On a monthly basis, the index is on track for gains of 1.7 after sharp declines in May, while it is up 8 in the first six months of the year.

Investors are now awaiting U.S. Personal Consumption Expenditure PCE data for May as well as preliminary figures on euro zone inflation later in the day after recent hawkish signals from major central bankers cemented expectations of more rate hikes ahead.

A raft of solid U.S. data, including on the labor market has added to bets that the Fed will need to do more to tame inflation.

The general message…