European stocks started trading higher on Monday as investors looked ahead to a week of important economic data from the US and Europe.

The STOXX Europe 600 index rose 0.4 percent.

The oil and gas sector rose about 1 percent as oil prices rose for a fifth straight session.

The financial sector index also rose about 1 percent, supported by Hannover Re, which jumped 6.2 percent after the German reinsurer unveiled first-half results.

BT Group jumped 6.6 percent after India’s Bharti Enterprises agreed to buy about 24.5 percent of Altice UK, the telecoms company’s biggest shareholder.

Source: Qatar News Agency