Italy39;s FTSE MIB hits fresh 15year high
French economy contracts in Q3, inflation eases
ASR up after final settlement with interest groups

Nov 30 Reuters European shares hit a more than twomonth high on Thursday, boosted by energy and financials, while investors geared up for key inflation prints from the United States and euro zone to back expectations that global interest rates have peaked.

The panEuropean STOXX 600 was up 0.2 by 0930 GMT, eyeing its biggest monthly jump since January, with ratesensitive real estate and technology stocks leading monthly sectoral gains.

For the day, energy stocks jumped 1.1 as oil prices climbed ahead of an OPEC meeting, while insurance stocks rose 0.6.

The Federal Reserve39;s preferred inflation gauge the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index and Europe39;s Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices HICP inflation data are due later in the day.

There39;s this tension around inflation and growth. Inflation on the margin is coming in a little bit lower than consensus forecast, but growth is a bit mixed, said Richard Flax, chief investment officer at Moneyfarm.

Investors expect the European Central Bank to cut rates in April after inflation and growth figures for a handful of euro zone countries came in lower than expected, pricing in derivatives markets showed.

Data showed the French economy contracted by 0.1 in the third quarter, while November inflation continued to ease more than expected. The benchmark CAC 40 index…