Investing.com – European shares closed mixed Thursday, as dropping euro zone confidence combined with negative U.S. jobless numbers to suppress an automaker’s rally.
At the close of European trade, the EURO STOXX 50 gave back 0.1%, France's CAC 40 fell 0.13%, while Germany’s DAX climbed 0.53%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 gained 0.52%.
Adding to the mixed trading session, official data indicated U.S. Initial Jobless Claims fell less-than-expected to a seasonally adjusted 388K last week from 389K in the preceding week whose figure was revised up from 386K.
Analysts had expected Initial Jobless Claims to fall to 375K last week.
This news weighed on the worldwide risk sentiment despite pending U.S. home purchases surging 4.1% in March to 101.4, the highest level since April, 2010.
In the euro zone, the European Commission reported that an index of executive and consumer sentiment dropped to 92.8 from a revised 94.5 in March.
Economists were expecting a slide to 94.2 adding to the negative euro region sentiment.
Meanwhile, Ben Bernanake signaled yesterday that further stimulus from the central bank is unlikely unless the economy surprisingly starts to weaken.
The Fed Chief repeated his goal of keeping borrowing costs low until late 2014, at the earliest.
Automobile shares led the market higher with Volkswagen’s preferred shares soaring 8.6% as first quarter operating profits jumped 10%.
Porsche and Daimler followed trading higher by 7.3% and 3.4% respectively.
In bearish news, Alcatel Lucent plunged 17% after reporting a first quarter loss .
Deutsche Bank gave back 3.2% as profits plummeted 33% in the first quarter.
U.S. stocks are trading higher midsession with the Dow ahead by 0.45%, the S&P 500 gaining 0.15% and the Nasdaq adding 0.22%.
Traders are awaiting the U.S. GDP, German consumer climate and a tentative press conference from the Bank of Japan.
At the close of European trade, the EURO STOXX 50 gave back 0.1%, France's CAC 40 fell 0.13%, while Germany’s DAX climbed 0.53%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 gained 0.52%.
Adding to the mixed trading session, official data indicated U.S. Initial Jobless Claims fell less-than-expected to a seasonally adjusted 388K last week from 389K in the preceding week whose figure was revised up from 386K.
Analysts had expected Initial Jobless Claims to fall to 375K last week.
This news weighed on the worldwide risk sentiment despite pending U.S. home purchases surging 4.1% in March to 101.4, the highest level since April, 2010.
In the euro zone, the European Commission reported that an index of executive and consumer sentiment dropped to 92.8 from a revised 94.5 in March.
Economists were expecting a slide to 94.2 adding to the negative euro region sentiment.
Meanwhile, Ben Bernanake signaled yesterday that further stimulus from the central bank is unlikely unless the economy surprisingly starts to weaken.
The Fed Chief repeated his goal of keeping borrowing costs low until late 2014, at the earliest.
Automobile shares led the market higher with Volkswagen’s preferred shares soaring 8.6% as first quarter operating profits jumped 10%.
Porsche and Daimler followed trading higher by 7.3% and 3.4% respectively.
In bearish news, Alcatel Lucent plunged 17% after reporting a first quarter loss .
Deutsche Bank gave back 3.2% as profits plummeted 33% in the first quarter.
U.S. stocks are trading higher midsession with the Dow ahead by 0.45%, the S&P 500 gaining 0.15% and the Nasdaq adding 0.22%.
Traders are awaiting the U.S. GDP, German consumer climate and a tentative press conference from the Bank of Japan.