STOXX 600 up 0.4
Deliver Hero falls after Taiwan blocks Foodpanda sale

Dec 27 Reuters Europe39;s main stock index moved higher on Friday after a twoday holiday, with modest gains seen earlier in the week, putting it on track to break a twoweek losing streak.

The panEuropean STOXX 600 ticked up 0.4, to its highest since Dec. 19. It was set to gain 0.7 in the holidaydisrupted week.

Major bourses across the region recovered, Germany39;s DAX was up 0.3, France39;s CAC 40 rose 0.5, while Britain39;s FTSE 100 was trading flat.

We39;re coming out of a Christmas holiday, and trading volumes are extremely weak. We cannot really draw conclusions about what we see these days, said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank.

Leading the charge in sectors, the technology stocks saw a 0.7 increase, while the healthcare sector also rose by 0.6, boosted by a 3 gain in Novo Nordisk stock.

However, the insurance sector took a hit, dropping by 0.5.

Despite the STOXX 60039;s record highs earlier this year, its overall gain for 2024 stands at a modest 5.7. A mix of geopolitical tensions, sluggish Chinese spending, and a lacklustre domestic economic outlook have contributed to this slow momentum.

Meanwhile, across the pond, the SP 500 is having a stellar year, boasting a 26.6 increase as investors rally behind artificial intelligence.

Europe is suffering because of soft economic outlook and soft economic growth, and partly due to soft economic growth in China,…