European shares extended their rally to a fourth straight day on Thursday as investors hoped for a swifter global economic recovery while Unilever’s disappointing targets weighed on London’s bluechip index The STOXX 600 index rose 06 while London’s FTSE 100 ended flat underperforming regional peers for a second straight day as consumer giant Unilever slumped 62 after its sales growth target underwhelmed investors A slide in oil majors BP and Royal Dutch Shell also weighed with Shell reporting its lowest annual profit in at least two decades Banks and the sterling rose as money markets pushed bets on negative UK interest rates out to February 2022 after Bank of England said Britain’s banks would need at least six months to prepare for subzero rates “The BoE look unlikely to cut rates anytime soon with a sixmonth adjustment period meaning the UK economy will be well into its recovery by the time they are even considered” said Joshua Mahony senior market analyst at IG Italian shares gained 17 to close at a one month high extending a rally after former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi accepted the task of forming a new government on Wednesday The prime minister designate will conclude his formal consultations with parties on Saturday the parliament’s press office said in a statement on Thursday A 53 jump in shares of Bayer lifted Germany’s DAX to onemonth highs after the life science company struck a 2 billion deal to resolve future legal claims that its widely used weedkiller Roundup causes cancer Meanwhile Germany’s ruling coalition parties on Wednesday agreed a batch of additional measures to support those hit hard financially by the COVID19 pandemic Global markets remained hopeful after Democrats pushed ahead on Wednesday with a manoeuvre to pass US President Joe Biden’s 19 trillion COVID19 relief package without Republican support Among other companies reporting earnings Swiss drugmaker Roche was the top boost on the STOXX 600 after it forecasted a rise in 2021 sales and profit thanks to surging demand for COVID19 tests Reporting by Shreyashi Sanyal in Bengaluru Editing by Shounak Dasgupta David Gregorio