European stocks hit 4-weeks high as economies gradually reopen

European stocks rose on Tuesday, to hit 4-week high and extend gains for the second straight day, on improving risk appetite as most countries expanded their easing measures of the general coronavirus-lockdown. 

The Dow Jones Stoxx Europe 600 index rose 0.8% as of 11:45 GMT, hitting the highest level since last April 30 at 345.18 points, and the index ended yesterday's session up 1.5%, after strong gains for German stocks after the rise in corporate sentiment index .

The Stoxx Europe 600 index rose 0.8% as of 11:45 GMT, and hit the highest since April 30 at 345.18 points, after it closed higher by 1.6% yesterday on strong gains in Germany.

The pan European index opened higher today, to head for the second straight daily gain, hitting a 1-week high, with most European markets and sectors seeing green today.

The travel and leisure sector saw the largest gains in Europe today, rising by 6%, after news about relaxing the coronavirus travel restrictions.

Most countries around the world started to ease their general lockdown measures that were imposed to contain the coronavirus outbreak, which improved the market sentiment as companies gradually reopen.

The market sentiment also was lifted after an announcement by the American biotech firm, Novavax, of the first phase of the human trails of its coronavirus vaccine, and the company expects the first results by next July.

S&P 500 futures rose 0.5%, while the US market was closed yesterday in observance of the Memorial Day.

Back to Europe, the Euro Stoxx 50 index added 0.7%, the German DAX jumped 0.6%, France's CAC 40 rose 0.9%, and the UK's FTSE 100 rose 1%.