French data, Apple sales lift European shares after China disappoints

By Richard Hubbard

LONDON (Reuters) - Signs of a recovery in France and strong sales from tech giant Apple lifted European shares on Wednesday, offsetting the impact of disappointing Chinese factory data, which knocked oil and copper prices lower.

Manufacturing activity across France hit a 17-month high in July according to the latest Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) survey, pointing to an emerging recovery in the euro zone's second-biggest economy.

The better-than-expected data, likely to be reinforced by further PMI readings across the euro area due out later, lifted European shares by 0.2 percent in early trade and sent German bond prices lower.

Technology stocks were given a lift after Apple posted better than expected second-quarter earnings and strong sales growth for its iconic mobile phone.

But renewed worries about the outlook for China's vast manufacturing sector trimmed gains in Asian shares and hit oil and copper prices and currencies exposed to Chinese demand like the Australian dollar.

Activity in the world's second largest economy slowed to an 11-month low in July as new orders faltered, the flash HSBC/Markit Purchasing Managers' Index for China showed, suggesting the economy is still losing momentum.

"The lower reading of the July HSBC Flash China Manufacturing PMI suggests a continuous slowdown in manufacturing sectors thanks to weaker new orders and faster destocking," said Hongbin Qu, chief China economist of HSBC.

After the Chinese data the dollar took back some lost ground, rising 0.4 percent to 99.84 yen, moving away from a one-week low of 99.13 yen touched on Tuesday.

The dollar index extended gains, adding 0.3 percent to 82.153, after it skidded to a one-month low of 81.926 on Tuesday.

(Editing by Catherine Evans)