European stock markets moved cautiously higher at the open on Thursday, with the Stoxx Europe 600 index extending a five-year high, ahead of industrial-production data from the euro zone.
The benchmark index added 0.1% to 311.14, after closing at the highest level since June 2008 on Wednesday. Shares of Home Retail Group PLC jumped 6.1% after a well-received earnings report. Vivendi SA put on 3% after the media and telecom firm late Wednesday said it plans to split the group into two separate companies.
RWE AG fell 2.5% after Citigroup cut the utility firm to sell from neutral. Among country-specific indexes, the U.K.’s FTSE 100 index gained 0.1% to 6,593.10, while Germany’s DAX 30 index was flat around 8,496.11. France’s CAC 40 index fell 0.1% to 4,116.44.
Source : Marketwatch
