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June 29 (Reuters) - European shares edged higher on Monday as investors clung to hopes of a quicker economic recovery in the continent even as coronavirus cases surged globally.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.2% after opening in the red, lifted by automakers and travel & leisure companies.
European markets have outperformed in the recent weeks, helped by its relative success in reopening its economy and the European Union's proposed 750 billion euro ($841.73 billion) recovery fund.
However, Asian markets were on a weaker footing as the global death toll from COVID-19 reached half a million people on Sunday, according to a Reuters tally.