London - Europe's stock markets rose Thursday in light holiday trade, after Wall Street opened higher following a mixed batch of US economic data and corporate earnings.
Trading was subdued in Europe owing to a public holiday in Germany and France, but the markets remained open.
In afternoon deals, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index of leading companies nudged 0.09 percent higher to 6,955.57 points.
In Paris, the CAC 40 index added 0.96 percent to 4,963.50 points and Frankfurt's DAX 30 climbed 1.01 percent to 11,466 compared with Wednesday's close.
The euro meanwhile rallied to a three-month peak at $1.1445, before settling at $1.1413, up from $1.1354 late in New York on Wednesday, extending gains on bright euro zone economic growth data. The greenback was also dogged by disappointing US economic numbers on Wednesday.
European equities traded mixed on Wednesday, despite news of solid first quarter economic growth in the euro zone -- with France outpacing powerhouse Germany -- and encouraging company results.
On Thursday, Asian equities mostly retreated following the set of below-forecast US data.
Tokyo's Nikkei index was the biggest loser of Asia's major markets Thursday as the yen climbed against the dollar.
Tokyo sank 0.98 percent and Sydney eased 0.33 percent, while Seoul added 0.29 percent, Hong Kong climbed 0.14 percent and Shanghai was slightly higher.
US stocks rose Thursday at the opening. Five minutes into trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.62 percent to 18,173.03 points.
The broad-based S&P 500 gained 0.54 percent to 2,109.73, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index won 0.60 percent to 5,011.71.
US economic data showed a modest decline in weekly jobless claims, but an unexpected 0.4 percent drop in producer prices in April.
US stocks finished essentially flat Wednesday after dropping the prior two sessions.
AFP
