RollsRoyce, Unilever fall after rating downgrades
German December inflation data at 1300 GMT
STOXX 600 up 0.2, tech index rises 2.9

Jan 6 Reuters European shares ticked up Monday as chip stocks advanced following Microsoft39;s bumper AI investment announcement, kicking off a week packed with economic data around the world including inflation readings in Europe and jobs data in the United States.

Europe39;s premier index, the STOXX 600 was up 0.2 as of 0918 GMT, taking cues from an upbeat close on Wall Street on Friday.

Technology led gains amongst the major STOXX subsectors, adding close to 3, with chip stocks such as ASML, ASMI and STMicroelectronics at the helm of gains.

Semiconductor makers got a boost after Microsoft on Friday said it is planning to invest about 80 billion in fiscal 2025 on developing data centres to train artificial intelligence models and deploy AI and cloudbased applications.

The demand amid U.S. big tech for AI capability is voracious at the moment, so the expectation is that demand for semiconductor chips will still be extremely strong going through 2025, said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets, at Hargreaves Lansdown.

On the downside, food and beverages extended losses after Friday39;s drop when the U.S. surgeon general urged cancer warnings for alcoholic drinks, with stocks falling 0.7 on the day.

The data calendar for the week was heavy with inflation readings across Europe slated to be released throughout the week,…