European markets close higher after a choppy trading session

• Global stocks received a boost from news that Phase III trials of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine had resumed in the U.K. after trials were halted last week over safety concerns.
• The pan-European Stoxx 600 provisionally ended up 0.2% after a day of choppy trading. Travel and leisure stocks gained over 2%, while oil and gas fell around 1.2%

European stocks ended the day in the green on Monday, after a mixed session that came on the back of a resumption of coronavirus vaccine trials.

European markets

The pan-European Stoxx 600 provisionally ended up 0.2% after a day of choppy trading. Travel and leisure stocks gained over 2%, while oil and gas fell around 1.2%

Stocks received a boost from news that Phase III trials of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine have resumed in the U.K. after trials were halted last week over safety concerns. The news raises hope that one of the leading candidates in the global race to develop a vaccine which can stem the pandemic is back on track. 

AstraZeneca said it received confirmation from the United Kingdom's Medicines Health Regulatory Authority that it was safe to resume clinical trials. The company declined to disclose medical information about the pause of the trial, but indicated earlier this week that a potentially unexplained illness was under investigation.  

It comes as the number of coronavirus cases continued to grow over the weekend in nearly a dozen U.S. states. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, called the data "disturbing."

Meanwhile in Asia, stocks rose in Monday trade with investors watching shares of Japanese conglomerate SoftBank Group following an announcement of its sale of U.K. chip designer Arm to U.S. chip firm Nvidia in a deal worth $40 billion, the companies announced Sunday.

The news helped lift sentiment in the U.S., with tech stocks leading markets higher, amid a slew of corporate dealmaking activity.

On the data front, euro zone industrial production grew by 4.1% month-on-month in July, showing a slowing down of the bloc's expected rebound in industrial output.

In terms of individual share price action, security contractor G4S surged more than 24% in afternoon trade after the company received a £2.95 billion ($3.8 billion) takeover offer from Canada's Garda World Security.

Dassault Aviation shares jumped 9% after the Greek Air Force announced an order for 18 of its Rafale fighter jets. British Airways parent IAG gained more than 8%.

At the other end of the European blue chip index, Tullow Oil slipped 5.3%, while Polymetal International slid 4.2%.