Europe Stocks Inch Up; BASF Rises, Daimler Off

European stock markets opened flat to lower on Thursday, as investors mulled the prior-day statement from the Federal Reserve, which said it will stick to its loose monetary policy.

Investors were wading through a deluge of earnings, with the Stoxx Europe 600 index flat at 269.40. Share of BASF SE rose nearly 2% after the chemical group reported results, while Daimler AG fell nearly 3% after the automaker cut its full-year forecast.

France Telecom SA fell 2.7% after the telecom group projected a tough 2013. Unilever PLC rose 2.8% after the consumer goods group posted higher sales. The FTSE 100 index rose 0.1% to 5,813.29, the German DAX 30 index was flat at 7,198.40 and the French CAC 40 index was up 0.2% to 3,433.81.

Marketwatch