European shares gain on healthcare boost, euro zone inflation data eyed

European shares climbed on Friday and were set for a weekly rise, led by healthcare stocks, while investors keenly awaited inflation data for further proof of easing price pressures across the board.

The pan-European STOXX 600 rose 0.5% by 0810 GMT, and eyed a weekly rise of 2.3%, boosted by a fall in euro zone bond yields on expectations that central banks’ monetary policy tightening has peaked.

All eyes will be on the euro zone inflation print later in the day, after data throughout the week signalled softening inflation in the United States and the UK.

Healthcare led the gains with a 1.2% advance, with heavyweights AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN), Novo Nordisk (CSE:NOVOb) and Sanofi (EPA:SASY) gaining between 1.2% and 2.1%.

Meanwhile, Volvo Cars dropped 12% a record low, hitting the bottom of the STOXX 600 after owner China’s Geely launched a sale of 100 million shares.