European shares edged higher on Thursday, still on track to end the week flat, as investors kept close watch on a barrage of earnings reports from companies for clues on the pace of business recovery.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index was 0.1 per cent higher in early trading, with most of its sectors trading in the positive territory.
rose 1.3 per cent after the Covid-19 vaccine developer beat quarterly product sales estimates and forecast 2021 revenue growth.
European healthcare stocks were up 0.2 per cent.
Danone rose 2.8 per cent after investment company Artisan Partners demanded corporate governance and strategic changes, including separation of the French food group’s chairman and chief executive officer roles.
Germany’s Commerzbank fell 2.9 per cent as the lender said its loss deepened in the fourth quarter.
