European Markets Close On Firm Note

European stocks closed higher on Friday amid expectations of further rate cuts by central banks despite data showing an acceleration in eurozone inflation. Investors also digested French GDP data and Germany’s retails sales and unemployment data.

The pan European Stoxx 600 climbed 0.58%. Germany’s DAX advanced 1.03% and France’s CAC 40 gained 0.78%, while the U.K.’s FTSE 100 edged up 0.07% and Switzerland’s SMI closed higher by 0.46%.

Among other markets in Europe, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Turkiye closed higher.

Greece, Norway and Portugal ended weak, while Finland and Iceland closed flat.

In the UK market, Anglo American Plc shares climbed nearly 5.5%. IMI gained 3.3%. Rolls-Royce Holdings, Next, Antofagasta, Glencore, B&M European Value Retail, Fresnillo, Smith & Nephew, Halma, Vistry Group, Weir Group and Barratt Redrow gained 1 to 2.5%.

BAE Systems tumbed nearly 5%. JD Sports Fashion, Berkeley Group Holdings, Prudential, Vodafone Group and Severn Trent lost 1 to 1.6%.

In the German market, MTU Aero Engines and Infineon both gained about 3%. Deutsche Bank, SAP, BMW, Siemens and Zalando gained 1.4 to 2%.

Sartorius, Brenntag, Covestro and Beiersdorf closed weak.

In the French market, Renault climbed about 2.7%. STMicroElectronics, Edenred, Societe Generale, Schneider Electric, Airbus Group, AXA, Stellantis, Hermes International, TotalEnergies, BNP Paribas, Accor and LVMH closed up 1 to 2.5%.

Eurostat said inflation in the Euro area climbed for a second straight month in November, with the harmonized index of consumer prices, or HICP, rising 2.3% year-on-year following a 2% increase in October, according to preliminary data.

Core inflation, which excludes prices of food, energy and alcohol and tobacco, was steady at 2.7%. Economists had forecast a score of 2.8%.

German unemployment rate came in at 6.1% in November, data from the Federal Employment Agency revealed. The rate was the same as in September and October.

Germany’s retail sales declined more than expected in October on falling non-food retail trade, data released by Destatis showe. Retail sales decreased by real 1.5% month-on-month in October, sharper-than-expected fall of 0.5%.

Germany’s import prices declined for the second straight month in October, falling by 0.8%, following a 1.3% decrease in September, data from Destatis said. Economists had forecast prices to fall 1.2%.

Month-on-month, import prices grew 0.6%, in contrast to the 0.4% decline in the previous month. Prices increased for the first time in four months.

France’s gross domestic product logged a quarterly growth of 0.4% in the third quarter, which was unchanged from the previous estimate, the statistical office INSEE reported. This follows a 0.2% rise in the second quarter.

UK mortgage approvals increased to the highest level in more than two years in October as falling interest rates boosted housing market activity but consumers became more cautious about borrowing and saving ahead of the Autumn Budget. Mortgage approvals for house purchases, an indicator of future borrowing, increased to 68,303 in October from 66,115 in the prior month, the Bank of England reported today.

A measure signaling future turning points in the Swiss economy strengthened in November, signaling a steadily developing economy without strong dynamics. The economic barometer rose to 101.8 in November from a downwardly revised 99.5 in October, which was the first time since January that the score marked below 100.