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The pan-European STOXX 600 index was 0.1% higher in early trading, with most of its segments trading in the advanced range.
AstraZeneca rose 1.3% after vaccine developer COVID-19 overcame quarterly product sales estimates and forecast 2021 revenue growth.
European healthcare stocks rose 0.2%.
Danone rose 2.8% after investment firm Artisan Partners called for corporate governance and strategic changes, including the separation of French food group chairman and chief executive.
Germany’s Commerzbank fell 2.9% as the lender reported a loss in the fourth quarter.
Reporting by Shreyashi Sanyal in Bengaluru; Edited by Shounak Dasgupta