Investing.com - European stocks were lower on Friday, after the release of mixed data from Germany and France, as investors were eyeing a highly anticipated report on euro zone consumer prices.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 retreated 0.41%, France’s CAC 40 slid 0.46%, while Germany’s DAX 30 fell 0.31%.
Official data earlier showed that German retail sales rose 1.9% in October, beating expectations for a 1.7% gain. The change in retail sales in September was revised to a 2.8% decline from a previously estimated 3.2% drop.
Meanwhile, in France, data showed that consumer spending fell 0.9% in October, compared to expectations for a 0.2% rise. September's consumer spending was revised to a 0.5% slip from a previously estimated 0.8% decline.
Investors were now turning their attention to an upcoming report on euro zone consumer price inflation. On Wednesday, ECB vice-president Vitor Constancio said the central bank could begin quantitative easing as soon as the first quarter of 2015 to stave off deflation risks.
Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders BNP Paribas (PARIS:BNPP) and Societe Generale (PARIS:SOGN) added 0.18% and 0.17%, while Germany's Commerzbank (XETRA:CBKG) gained 0.53%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy's Unicredit (MILAN:CRDI) and Intesa Sanpaolo rose 0.21% and 0.94% respectively, while Spanish bank Banco Santander edged up 0.07%.
Elsewhere, Deutsche Lufthansa (OTC:DLAKY) surged 3.99% after UBS Group AG recommended buying shares in the German airliner.
In London, FTSE 100 declined 0.66%, weighed by losses in energy stocks after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries decided on Thursday to keep its output target unchanged, sending oil prices sharply lower.
Shares in oil and gas giant BP (LONDON:BP) tumbled 2.62% and Petrofac lost 3.82%, while Tullow Oil (LONDON:TLW) and BG Group saw shares dive 4.28% and 5.45% respectively.
BG Group was also reportedly under growing pressure over a £25 million pay deal for its incoming Chief Executive Officer Helge Lund from investors who are warning that the package may end up being blocked.
Mining stocks were also mostly lower, as Glencore Xstrata (LONDON:GLEN) dropped 0.74% and Randgold Resources retreated 0.83%, while Fresnillo (LONDON:FRES) tumbled 1.64% and Bhp Billiton plummeted 2.68%.
Meanwhile, in the financial sector, stocks were mixed. Shares in HSBC Holdings (LONDON:HSBA) dipped 0.02% and Lloyds Banking (LONDON:LLOY) slipped 0.18%, while Barclays inched up 0.12% and the Royal Bank of Scotland (LONDON:RBS) jumped 0.97%.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a mixed open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.12% loss, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.16% fall, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.13% rise.
Later in the day, the euro zone was to release closely watched preliminary data on the consumer price index as well as a report on the unemployment rate.