By Sagarika Jaisinghani and Lisa Pauline Mattackal
(Reuters) - European shares started the new decade on a strong note on Thursday on fresh monetary stimulus from Beijing and growing Sino-U.S. trade optimism, while Airbus jumped after a report it toppled Boeing (NYSE:BA) to become the world's biggest planemaker.
The European company (PA:AIR) was set for its best day in three months after Reuters reported it delivered a forecast-beating 863 aircraft in 2019.
The stock helped lift the wider French index (FCHI) by 1.3%. The pan-European STOXX 600 index (STOXX) was up 0.9%, after declining for two straight sessions as caution crept in about how long a U.S.-China trade truce would last.
But U.S. President Donald Trump brightened the mood on Tuesday by saying the Phase 1 agreement would be signed on Jan. 15 at the White House.
Trade-sensitive miners (SXPP) led gains on the main index on Thursday, followed by European banks (SX7P).
"The markets are still broadly riding high on the goodwill generated by the announcement that a Phase-1 trade agreement will be signed on Jan. 15," said Connor Campbell, financial analyst at Spreadex.
"(Beyond that) a lack of further escalation might be all investors can expect for the moment."
The benchmark European index ended last year with its biggest annual gain since the global financial crisis on easing recession fears and a loose monetary policy by some of the world's biggest central banks.
Signaling that it stood pat to boost a flagging economy, China's central bank on Wednesday lowered the reserve requirement ratio for banks for the eighth time since 2018, with the latest cut freeing up around 800 billion yuan ($115 billion).
Improving economic indicators from China and the United States had also powered global stocks to record highs last month. [MKTS/GLOB]
Euro zone stocks (STOXXE) jumped 1.1% on Thursday despite latest data showing factory activity in the bloc contracting for the eleventh straight month.
Meanwhile, German shares (GDAXI) rose 0.7%, shrugging off figures that showed the manufacturing sector contracted further in December, with the rate of decline in production accelerating for the first time in three months.
London-listed shares (FTSE) climbed 0.9%. Investors are closely tracking developments around Britain's departure from the European Union, set for Jan. 31.
Missing out on the broader rally, Tullow Oil (L:TLW) shares fell 6.1% and were on course for its worst day in over two weeks as the oil producer said a reservoir in its newly struck oil well in offshore Guyana was below its pre-drill estimates.