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Dec 28 (Reuters) - European shares gained on Monday after
Britain and the European Union signed a long awaited trade deal,
while a bumper U.S. stimulus package boosted investor sentiment
for riskier global assets.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday signed into law a $2.3
trillion pandemic aid and spending package, restoring
unemployment benefits to millions of Americans and averting a
federal government shutdown in a crisis of his own making.
The benchmark European stock index .STOXX jumped 0.5%,
with automakers .SXAP and energy stocks .SXEP gaining the
most.
Also supporting sentiment was Europe's cross-border
vaccination programme launched on Sunday, fuelling hopes of a
pandemic-free second half of 2021 and of a strong economic
rebound. Britain signed the Brexit trade deal late on Thursday, just
seven days before it exits one of the world's biggest trading
blocs. London markets were shut for the Boxing Day holiday,
meanwhile trading volumes are expected to be light in European
stocks in another holiday shortened week.