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LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - European shares tried to
stabilize on Wednesday as gains for Swedish truck maker Volvo
and defensive sectors helped counter worries about a hard Brexit
that continued to pressure UK mid-cap shares.
The pan-European STOXX 600 .STOXX inched up 0.1% by 0821
GMT, hovering closer to a record high hit on Monday, encouraged
by a decisive Conservative win in UK elections and a preliminary
U.S.-China trade deal.
Shares in Swedish truck maker Volvo AB VOLVb.ST gained
4.7% after it and Japan's Isuzu Motors 7202.T agreed to form a
strategic alliance in commercial vehicles that will include sale
of Volvo's subsidiary UD Trucks to Isuzu. Defensive sectors such as healthcare, food & beverage and
utilities led gains on the main STOXX 600 index.
However, domestically focused UK stocks .FTMC fell 0.4%
as worries about Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking a
hard line on Brexit lingered. London's exporter heavy FTSE 100
.FTSE rose 0.2%, as pound erased all its gains made on the
Tory victory.