European shares notch broad-based gains; defence stocks lag
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Defence stocks down on Germany's military aid limit to Ukraine
Barratt, Redrow up as condition on deal waived for legal completion
Metso pares gains as it quashes speculations over merger plan
STOXX 600 up 0.6%
Updated at 1600 GMT
By Pranav Kashyap and Ankika Biswas
Aug 19 (Reuters) -European shares climbed on Monday, led by retail and basic resources stocks, with investors bracing for a data-heavy week with a focus on U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's speech at Jackson Hole for clues on potential rate cuts.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX closed 0.6% higher, touching an over three-week high in broad-based market gains, after having notched its biggest weekly gain in three months.
Having recovered most of the recent lost ground, the benchmark index stood strong above the 500-point mark after slipping below the key level on Aug. 2.
All the major regional bourses such as Germany's .GDAXI, France .FCHI, Italy .FTMIB and Spain .IBEX climbed between 0.5% and 1.4%.
Miners .SXPP rose 2% tracking strength in metal prices, while online fashion marketplace Zalando ZALG.DE and British sportswear retailer JD Sports JD.L led the charge among retail stocks .SXRP.
Meanwhile, defence stocks fell after a report that the German finance ministry would not approve additional applications for Ukraine military aid due to budget constraints.
Hensoldt HAGG.DE, Renk R3NK.DE, BAE Systems BAES.L, Saab SAABb.ST, Thales TCFP.PA and Leonardo LDOF.MI were down between 0.8% and 5.4%.
"The consolidation phase is going to last for the next few days... It's at that point where indecision creeps in again. It's now back to assessing what's out there and how these factors can impact," said Daniela Hathorn, senior market analyst at Capital.com.
Investors are now gearing up for another week brimming with crucial economic data including euro zone inflation and PMI numbers, alongside the U.S. PMI numbers and weekly jobless claims.
However, the main focus this week is the global central bank gathering at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where Fed Chair Powell is expected to speak on Friday and likely give some clues on the Fed's monetary policy path.
Minutes of the Fed's July policy meeting is also due on Wednesday.
"The easiest thing for Powell would be to repeat his message from July. An evolution of the July FOMC language would suggest the committee is 'very close' or 'close' to the point where easing is likely to occur," Bank of America analysts said.
Among others, Finnish mining equipment maker Metso METSO.HE pared gains, albeit closing 3.7% higher, after clarifying it has no ongoing plans for a tie-up with the rival mining equipment business unit of Sweden's Sandvik SAND.ST following a news report.
UK homebuilder Barratt BDEV.L and Redrow RDW.L rose 3.4% and 4.5%, respectively, after a condition by the competition regulator for the former's acquisition of its smaller rival was waived to satisfy a legal completion this week
Reporting by Pranav Kashyap and Ankika Biswas in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich, Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Jonathan Oatis
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