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April 12 (Reuters) - European shares opened higher on

Friday, powered by gains in blue-chip stocks, as investors

remained optimistic after the European Central Bank hinted that

it could begin interest rate cuts as soon as June.

The pan-European STOXX 600 gained 0.9%, and was on

track for a weekly gain of 0.4%, while the blue-chips index

gained 1.1%.

The basic resources index led sectoral gains, with

its 2% rise tracking an uptick in base metals prices.

Stocks in major regional economies, such as Germany

, France, Spain and Italy,

gained between 0.5% and 1.0%.

Among top movers, Varta ( VARGF ) slumped 32.6% to a record

low and was on course for its worst day since September 2022

after the German battery maker said its restructuring plans

would fail to make it profitable by 2026.

Elsewhere, the FTSE 100 gained 0.8% after data

showed UK economic output grew for a second month in a row in

February and January's reading was revised higher.