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European stocks closed higher on Thursday, rebounding from losses in the previous session, despite largely negative cues from global markets<\/span>.<\/p>\n Data showing an increase in the euro area trade surplus in the month of July on higher shipments contributed to the positive sentiment in European markets.<\/p>\n The pan European Stoxx 600 climbed 0.44%. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 gained 0.16%, Germany’s DAX advanced 0.23% and France’s CAC 40 advanced 0.59%, while Switzerland’s SMI moved up 0.36%.<\/p>\n Among other markets in Europe, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain and Sweden closed higher.<\/p>\n Austria, Portugal, Russia and Turkey drifted lower, while Finland, Norway and Poland ended flat.<\/p>\n Regional automakers were under some pressure as industry data showed Europe’s passenger car registrations declined in August and July after four months of accelerated growth.<\/p>\n In the UK market, Ashtead Group climbed 5.3% after lifting its outlook for full-year performance.<\/p>\n IAG, Flutter Entertainment, Rolls-Royce Holdings, Intermediate Capital Group, Compass Group, Whitbread, Informa, Smith & Nephew, Smurfit Kappa Group, Kingfisher, Entain and Associated British Foods gained 2 to 4%.<\/p>\n Ryanair Holdings rallied sharply after the discount airline raised its traffic forecast over the next five years. EasyJet gained more than 7%.<\/p>\n Rio Tinto shed more than 4% as the mining giant issued a statement on penalty assessment by the Australian Taxation Office in connection with an isolated borrowing used to pay an intragroup dividend in 2015.<\/p>\n Anglo Amercian Plc, Fresnillo, BHP Group, Antofagasta, Glencore and Ocado Group lost 2 to 4.6%.<\/p>\n In the French market, Schneider Electric, Dassault Systemes, Capgemini and Safran gained 2 to 2.6%. Airbus Group, Air France-KLM, Legrand, Unibail Rodamco, Accor, Atos and Essilor also closed notably higher.<\/p>\n Lagardere shares soared 20% Paris after Vivendi reached an agreement to buy activist investor Amber Capital’s 17.9% stake in the French media and retail group.<\/p>\n Faurecia shares ended more than 3% down. Valeo shed about 2.4%. Renault, Carrefour, LOreal, Technip and ArcelorMittal lost 1 to 1.9%.<\/p>\n In Germany, Siemens surged up 2.3%. Henkel, Deutsche Post, Linde, Puma, Lufthansa, Covestro and Deutsche Bank gained 1 to 1.8%.<\/p>\n German chemicals giant BASF found some support after it announced a strategic partnership with Chinese energy technology<\/span> company Contemporary Amperex Technology Co.<\/p>\n Continental tumbled more than 5.5%. Thyssenkrupp declined 2.3%, while HeidelbergCement, Volkswagen, Infineon Technologies and BMW lost 1 to 1.7%.<\/p>\n According to the first estimate from Eurostat, the trade surplus increased to a seasonally adjusted EUR 13.4 billion from EUR 11.9 billion in June. Exports increased 1% month-on-month, while imports grew only 0.3%.<\/p>\n On an unadjusted basis, exports of goods registered an annual growth of 11.4% and imports posted 17.1% expansion.<\/p>\n Europe’s passenger car registrations declined in August and July after four months of accelerated growth, data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, or ACEA, revealed on Thursday.<\/p>\n Passenger car sales decreased 19.1% year-on-year in August following a decline of 23.2% in July. Sales totaled 622,993 units in August.<\/p>\n For the second month in a row, the largest car markets posted double-digit declines.<\/p>\n Investors also digested the latest batch of economic data from the U.S. The Commerce Department said retail sales climbed by 0.7% in August after plunging by a revised 1.8% in July. Economists had expected retail sales to decrease by 0.8%.<\/p>\n Another report from the Labor Department showed first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits rebounded by slightly more than expected in the week ended September 11th.<\/p>\n The report said initial jobless claims climbed to 332,000, an increase of 20,000 from the previous week’s revised level of 312,000.<\/p>\n Economists had expected initial jobless claims to rise to 328,000 from the 310,000 originally reported for the previous week. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n