European markets opened higher Thursday as investors digest the economic impact of the coronavirus on the global economy and countries begin plotting an exit from lockdown measures.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 climbed 1.2% in early trade, with travel and leisure stocks adding 2.4% to lead gains as all sectors and major bourses entered positive territory.

An increasing number of European countries have cautiously started to ease restrictive measures on public life and businesses this week and Germany is the latest to set out a road map for how it will reopen its economy. Smaller shops will be able to start reopening on April 20 as long as they can implement good hygiene measures and schools will reopen on May 4. Mass gatherings have been banned until Aug. 31, however.

Source : CNBC