(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock
markets, click LIVE/ or type LIVE/ in a news window)
Feb 24 (Reuters) - European shares rose on Wednesday,
supported by stronger-than-expected growth in Germany's economy,
although concerns over a possible rise in inflation and lofty
equity valuations kept gains in check.
Bullish exports and solid construction activity helped the
German economy to grow by a stronger-than-expected 0.3% in the
final quarter of last year, official data showed. The benchmark euro-zone stock index STOXX 600 .STOXX rose
0.2%, with travel .SXTP and construction stocks .SXOP
leading gains.
AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) AZN.L fell 1.3% after it told the European
Union that it expects to deliver less than half the COVID-19
vaccines it was contracted to supply in the second quarter, an
EU official told Reuters. German sportswear company Puma PUMB.DE dropped nearly 4%
to the bottom of the STOXX 600 after saying it expects a heavy
impact on its results from pandemic lockdowns through the end of
the second quarter.