PARIS: European shares rose on Friday as lacklustre data on China’s factory activity spurred hopes of more policy stimulus, but ended the quarter on a sombre note as worries about further monetary policy tightening and weak Chinese demand capped gains.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index closed 1.2% higher.

The index climbed 0.9% by the end of the second quarter, with mounting evidence of China’s weak post-COVID recovery and concerns about higher-for-longer global interest rates, having stalled a rally in equities that began early this year.

Inflation in the euro zone fell for a third straight month in June, a preliminary reading showed on Friday, but was unlikely to sway the European Central Bank, which has pencilled in a ninth consecutive rate hike for July and is eyeing one in September too.

“We think headline inflation will fall further, and that the core will ease back, albeit remain sticky,” said Melanie Debono, senior Europe economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.

“The ECB has all but promised another hike in July, and will go ahead with the increase given that inflation in Q2 averaged in line with its forecast, 6.2%.”

In the US, the core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index rose 0.3% in May from April, but is unlikely to challenge the Fed’s commitment to its current hawkish stance after a robust data this week that signalled economic resilience.

“The general message from central bankers is that the fight against inflation is not over,” said Hubert de Barochez, markets economist at Capital Economics.

European shares still advanced 8.7% in the first six months of the year.

Italy’s benchmark FTSE MIB hit its highest level since September 2008 on Friday. The lenders-heavy index also outperformed many of its regional peers this quarter. European banks led sectoral gains, up 6.6% in the second quarter.