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Aug 22 (Reuters) - European shares opened slightly

higher on Thursday, with investors braced for a wave of economic

data from major economies.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index ticked up 0.2% at

514.90 points by 0710 GMT.

The retail sector rose to the top, boosted by a 5.3%

gain in JD Sports after the British sportswear retailer

reported an improvement in second-quarter underlying sales

growth.

Energy stocks weighed the most, dropping 0.6% as oil

prices fell for a fifth session as investors worried about its

global demand outlook.

Flash purchasing managers' index (PMI) for France, Germany,

Britain and the eurozone are set to drop between 0715 GMT and

0830 GMT.

Consumer confidence data for the eurozone is due at 1400

GMT, while U.S. PMI and initial jobless claims figures are due

later in the day.

Among individual stocks, Aegon lost 4% after the

Dutch insurer said its key capital generation metric fell in the

first half of the year.

Deutsche Bank gained 2.5% after the lender

reached settlements with more than half the plaintiffs who

accused the firm of underpaying them.