European and Asian stocks rise as Chinese data boost sentiment

The moves came after data showed that Chinese exports fell by much less than analysts had anticipated in March, marking a modest recovery from the previous two months’ figures as the country ended lockdowns aimed at combating the coronavirus. China’s CSI 300 index of Shanghai- and Shenzhen-listed stocks rose 1.8 per cent following the report, while the Hang Seng in Hong Kong ticked up 0.8 per cent.