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STOXX 600 up 0.5%

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European economic and business sentiment due at 0900 GMT

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German consumer prices figures due at 1200 GMT

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French spirits makers jump after China drops provisional

measures on brandy

(Updated at 0817 GMT)

By Pranav Kashyap

Aug 29 (Reuters) - European shares were within touching

distance of a record high on Thursday, with technology stocks

leading the charge, despite Nvidia's ( NVDA ) quarterly results failing

to impress some global investors.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.5%% at

523.02 points, a whisker away from its record high of 525.59 hit

on June 7.

The tech sector gained 1.1%, the most among sectors,

as traders shrugged off Nvidia's ( NVDA ) quarterly forecast

that failed to meet the lofty expectations of some investors.

Europe and Asia didn't see sharp reactions and we need to

take that as a positive, said Richard Flax, chief investment

officer at Moneyfarm.

DATA TAKES CENTRE-STAGE

Sweden's benchmark index was up 0.6% after its GDP

declined by 0.3% in the second quarter.

Spain's benchmark IBEX 35 gained 0.3% after data

showed that inflation fell to 2.4% in August.

Investors now await data on European economic and business

sentiment, due at 0900 GMT, while German consumer prices figures

are expected at 1200 GMT.

Headline inflation is expected to slow to 2.3% for Germany

and 2.5% for Spain. Any downward surprises in the data, coming

later in the day, will feed into the eurozone inflation reading

due on Friday and add to the case of a more dovish stance by

European Central Bank (ECB) policymakers.

Markets will look out for commentary from the ECB's chief

economist, Philip R. Lane, who is participating in a panel at

0915 GMT.

Other ECB deputy governors, such as Aino Bunge and Olli

Rehn, also are taking part in panel discussions.

"The narrative from the ECB will be a fairly cautious

narrative. Not wanting to of commit too much," Moneyfarm's Flax

said.

French spirit makers' shares rose after China dropped

provisional measures on brandy imported from the European Union.

Remy Cointreau and Pernod Ricard both

rose 4% and 8%, respectively.

Among other stocks, Delivery Hero rose 5.2% to the

top of the STOXX 600 after the German online takeaway food

company reported stronger-than-expected growth it its

second-quarter gross merchandise value.