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March 21 (Reuters) - European shares scaled to

record-high levels on Thursday, boosted by basic

resources-linked stocks and a strong risk appetite, while

traders await a raft of economic data from the euro zone and the

United States.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.8% at

509.96, as of 0818 GMT.

The basic resources sub-index led sectoral gains

with a 2.7% jump as prices of most metals climbed after the U.S.

Federal Reserve maintained its projection of three rate cuts for

this year, while gold prices soared to a record high.

Technology and rate-sensitive real estate

shares advanced 2.1% and 1.7%, respectively, as risk appetite

ramped up following the Fed's outlook.

Investors await flash reading of business activity in the

month of March for the euro zone and the United States due later

in the day, which could offer potential clues into the central

banks' interest rate-cut cycle.

In corporate updates, Next retained its outlook for

sales and profit in the current year after reporting a slightly

better-than-expected rise in annual profit. Shares of the

clothing retailer added 4%.