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Feb 13 (Reuters) - European shares pulled back from record highs on Thursday as a surge in new coronavirus cases in China surprised investors who were hoping that the outbreak had peaked.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.4% by 0803 GMT. The index had notched new highs in the last two sessions on optimism over what appeared to be a decline in new cases of infection in China.
But a jump in new cases after China deployed a new diagnostic method and a record rise in the death toll swiftly subdued risk appetite.
European sectors with heavy exposure to China, such as basic resources and automobile stocks fell 0.9% and 1.1%, respectively. (Reporting by Ambar Warrick in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)