Europe open: China data provides boost as investors eye global rate decisions

(Sharecast News) - European shares opened higher on Monday as sentiment was lifted by upbeat data from China, while investors looked ahead to an interest rate decision from the US Federal Reserve on Wednesday after a two-day policy meeting. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was up 0.10% to 505.29, with all regional bourses up. Economists expect the US central bank to keep rates at 5.25-5.5%, while the Bank of England meets Thursday and is forecast to hold at 5.25%.

Traders will be looking at the Fed's "dot plots" chart to see what impact recent unexpectedly high-inflation readings have on the projected path of rate cuts.

"The chart of expectations will be closely scrutinised for any more conservative tweaks, which could spark negative sentiment. Wall Street closed down for the second session in a row on Friday, and trading looks set to be subdued as investors wait to gauge the attitudes of central bankers," said Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Susannah Streeter.

In a busy week for monetary policy makers, central bankers from Switzerland, Norway, Australia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Turkey, Brazil and Mexico will all meet.

Speculation was also mounting that the Bank of Japan was set to end eight years of negative interest rates on Tuesday and cease or amend its yield curve control policy.

Official data from China showed upbeat economic data for the first two months of the year, beating expectations, but its troubled real estate sector still showed sluggishness.

Retail sales in January and February rose 5.5%, better than expectations of a 5.2% increase. China combines data for the first two months of the year to smooth out the effects of the Lunar New Year break.

Industrial production climbed 7%, beating forecasts of 5%, while fixed asset investment increased 4.2%, compared with estimates of 3.2%.

The real estate sector remained sluggish, with investment in real estate falling 9% in January-February compared to the same period a year earlier.

In equity news, shares in Alstom surged 8% on news the company had been awarded a contract to supply the signalling, safety, and control systems for the new pink Metro line in the city of Porto in Portugal.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com