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July 16 (Reuters) - European shares eased from one-month
highs on Thursday, as growing friction in U.S.-China relations
put a dampener on hopes of a swift global recovery, while
investors waited to hear from the European Central Bank.
The pan-European STOXX 600 .STOXX fell 0.7% by 0717 GMT
after closing at a five-week high in the previous session.
A batch of poor earnings reports also added to the declines,
with Dutch beer maker Heineken NV HEIN.AS sliding 4.9% and
luxury goods group Richemont CFR.S dropping 5.0% as their
sales took a hit from the coronavirus lockdowns.
Beijing's heightened tensions with Washington on trade,
technology and geopolitics overshadowed data showing China's
economy returned to growth in the second quarter after a
coronavirus-inflicted slump. Focus turns to the European Central Bank, which is set to
deliver its monetary decision at 1145 GMT, but the bank is all
but certain to keep policy on hold after a series of
extraordinary moves. In a bright spot, Sweden's Getinge AB GETIb.ST gained 3.8%
as a surge in demand for ventilators and other life support
equipment in the wake of the pandemic lifted its quarterly core
profit. German online fashion retailer Zalando SE ZALG.DE rose
2.8% as it increased its full year earnings forecast.