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April 8 (Reuters) - European stocks hit record highs on
Thursday on optimism around a global stimulus-led economic
rebound after the U.S. Federal Reserve pledged to keep monetary
policy loose.
The pan-European STOXX 600 .STOXX rose 0.5% by 0720 GMT,
adding to gains made earlier this week when the index erased all
of its pandemic-driven losses.
Miners .SXPP , automakers .SXAP and retailers .SXRP led
gains on the index - up between 0.7% and 1% in early trading.
Fed officials remain wary about the ongoing risks of the
coronavirus pandemic and are committed to bolstering the economy
until its recovery is more secure, minutes of the central bank's
latest policy meeting showed on Wednesday.
Investors broadly looked past news that several European
countries had announced restrictions on the use of the
AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) AZN.L COVID-19 vaccine in younger people, after a
link was found to very rare blood clots. The British drugmaker's shares AZN.L inched up 0.7%.
Holland-based technology investor Prosus NV PRX.AS rose
1.6% after it sold 2% of China's Tencent Holdings Ltd 0700.HK
for $14.7 billion in the world's largest-ever block trade.