European Stocks Close Higher After Choppy Ride

(RTTNews) - European stocks closed higher on Thursday after a choppy session as investors stayed largely cautious after the Fed minutes said the central bank will continue raising interest rates in the coming months in order to combat inflation.

Some weak economic data from the continent also weighed on European stocks. On the economic front in the U.S., data showed an drop in initial jobless claims in the week ended August 13.

Euro zone government bond yields rose after ECB board member Isabel Schnabel said consumer prices could still accelerate in the short term, suggesting she favors another large interest-rate hike next month.

The pan European Stoxx 600 climbed 0.39%. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 advanced 0.35%, Germany's DAX surged 0.52% and France's CAC 40 gained 0.45%. Switzerland's SMI ended 0.35% up.

Among other markets in Europe, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden and Turkiye closed higher.

Belgium, Czech Republic and Denmark ended weak, while Austria, Ireland, Portugal and Spain ended flat.

In the UK market, Antofagasta, BP, Prudential, Glencore, Fresnillo, Smiths Group, Persimmon and Land Securities gained 2 to 2.6%.

Aviva, Legal & General, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, JD Sports Fashion, ABRDN, M&G, Ocado Group and Anglo American Plc shed 2 to 4.3%.

Marshalls plummeted more than 7%. The specialist landscape products group reported that its first-half profit before tax declined to 23.9 million pounds from last year's 38.9 million pounds.

Rank Group shares drifted down more than 3%. The British gambling company warned of difficult times after reporting a turnaround to profit for the fiscal 2022.

In Paris, Air France-KLM, Faurecia, STMicroElectronics and Valeo gained 2.5 to 4%. Teleperformance, Dassault Systemes, Hermes International and Unibail Rodamco also ended notably higher.

Saint Gobain ended more than 2.5% down. Vivendi, Veolia, Credit Agricole and Thales also ended weak.

In the German market, Infineon Technologies, Covestro, BASF, Deutsche Boerse, Siemens, Fresenius, Continental and Brenntag gained 1 to 2.5%.

Dutch payments group Adyen recovered after plunging about 12%, and ended lower by less than 4%. The stock tumbled after the company reported deteriorating margins in the second quarter.

Data from Eurostat showed annual inflation rate in the Euro Area came in at 8.9% in July of 2022, compared to 8.6% in June and 2.2% a year earlier.

Annual core inflation rate in the Euro Area increased to a record high of 4% in July of 2022 from 3.7% in June, in line with preliminary estimates.

Another data from Eurostat showed Eurozone construction output declined for the fourth straight month in July, dropping by 1.3% month-over-month, after a 0.3% decrease in June, which was revised from the 0.4 percent increase seen in the previous estimate.

On a yearly basis, growth in construction output eased sharply to 0.1% in June from 2.3% in May. The rate for May was revised down from 2.9%.

Switzerland's exports declined for the first time in four months in July, data from the Federal Customs Administration showed.

Exports fell by a real 2.9% month-on-month in July, reversing a 1% increase in June. Imports decreased at a faster pace of 3.4% over the month, following a 1.2% drop in June.

In nominal terms, both exports and imports slid by 4.3% and 4.2%, respectively, in July from a month ago.