* STOXX 600 up 0.1%

* Remy Cointreau up after CEO lays out turnaround plan

* Chip stocks ease after strong rally, Broadcom ( AVGO ) results

* Financial services stocks steady after Wednesday's

slump

* Puma gains on brokerage upgrade

(Updates prices, adds details and analyst comments)

By Johann M Cherian and Utkarsh Hathi

June 4 (Reuters) - European shares were steady on

Thursday, as investors assessed whether developments in the

Middle East would lead towards a peace deal to end the

months-long conflict, while Remy Cointreau rose after the

beverage maker announced a turnaround plan.

Crude prices eased about 1% to $96 a barrel after Israel and

Lebanon reached an agreement to implement a ceasefire, raising

hopes for a broader deal to end the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Wary investors awaited clearer signs that a peace deal could

be imminent this time after several rounds that have led

nowhere.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index inched up 0.1% to

621.85 points by 0849 GMT, with retailers and luxury

stocks leading gains, each with a more than 1% rise.

The benchmark is on track to end the week marginally lower

as the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route,

remained mostly shut.

Rising price pressures have pushed investors to price in a

25 basis point interest rate hike by the European Central Bank

when it meets next week, LSEG-compiled data showed.

"The well telegraphed policy hike coming next week reveals a

preference for curbing upside inflationary risks rather than

addressing downside growth risks," said a group of macro

analysts led by Rune Thyge Johansen at Danskebank.

"We expect (Christine) Lagarde to keep full optionality on

the future policy rate path, including a potential second summer

hike."

Chip stocks eased, with Infineon Technologies and

STMicroelectronics down 4.8% and 5.7%, respectively,

after U.S. chipmaker Broadcom ( AVGO ) reported

lower-than-expected second-quarter revenue.

European tech stocks have rallied the most on the

STOXX index this quarter.

Markets kept an eye on the financial services sector

, a day after signs of strain in private markets rattled

stocks in Europe and the U.S.

Swiss asset manager Partners Group added 3.4%,

steadying after a slump on Wednesday, when it said it expects a

slowdown in fundraising in the second half of 2026 and into

2027.

British asset manager Premier Miton lost 6.7% after

its first-half profit nearly halved from a year earlier.

Shares of Remy Cointreau rose 11.3% after CEO

Franck Marilly laid out a turnaround plan and said the beverage

maker aimed to boost operating profit by around €100 million

($116.1 million) by 2028/29.

While earnings for European firms have fared better than

expected in the first quarter, according to LSEG-compiled data,

corporates could face the heat in the face of a prolonged Middle

East conflict.

Pirelli dipped 1.5% after U.S.-based short-seller

Grizzly Research took a short position on it, though the Italian

premium tyre maker denied the report.

Puma shares gained 5% after Citigroup raised its

rating to "buy" from "neutral".