Euro zone business activity falls in Nov
ECB October meeting minutes awaited
STOXX 600 up 0.1

Nov 23 Reuters European shares inched higher on Thursday, supported by gains in energy stocks, while investors awaited minutes of the European Central Bank39;s ECB latest meeting for clues on the region39;s monetary policy path.

The panEuropean STOXX 600 was up 0.1 by 0958 GMT, extending gains after notching a twomonth high in the previous session.

Oil and gas cushioned the benchmark index, up 0.9 following the sector39;s two straight sessions of losses.

Investors will keenly watch the ECB39;s release of the October policy meeting minutes for any cues on the central bank39;s interest rate trajectory.

Inflation is going down, but not as fast. So the general setting is that ECB is kind of at the mercy of economic slowdown and global policy rates, said Marija Veitmane, a senior multiasset strategist at State Street Global Markets.

ECB officials have repeatedly tried to snuff growing bets of rate cuts amid data signalling a sustained fall in inflation and a likely recession.

ECB Governing Council member Joachim Nagel said in an interview on Der Spiegel that the goal in terms of inflation has not yet been reached.

Market participants digested the euro zone Composite Purchasing Managers39; Index, which showed business activity in the region eased in November, but suggested the bloc39;s economy will contract again this quarter as consumers continue to rein in spending….