AMSTERDAM/LONDON: European stocks inched to fresh peaks on Thursday as the European Central Bank raised its recovery outlook and promised to keep ample stimulus flowing, while travel stocks fell after a recent run of gains.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up just 0.1%, but at a fresh record high of 455.76 points, while the narrower index of euro zone stocks fell 0.1%.

European travel and leisure stocks dropped 1.2% following recent gains for the sector on optimism about economic re-openings.

Automakers fell for the third straight day, with German carmaker Volkswagen down 0.4% after a report said it expects a shortage in semiconductor supply to ease in the third quarter but sees the bottlenecks continuing in the long-term.

UK’s FTSE 100 was boosted by a 6.6% jump in BT Group after Altice Group said it had taken a 12.1% stake in Britain’s biggest broadband and mobile operator.

French digital music company Believe, which helps distribute music via deals with platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music, tumbled 17.8% in its stock market debut.

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