Investing.com - European stocks were mixed on Thursday, after the release of disappointing inflation data from Spain, while expectations for additional easing measures by the European Central Bank continued to grow.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 inched 0.03% higher, France’s CAC 40 dipped 0.06%, while Germany’s DAX 30 added 0.18%.
In a preliminary report, the Spanish National Statistics Institute said that consumer prices fell by an annualized rate of 0.4% this month, compared to expectations for a 0.3% decline, after a 0.1% slip in October.
A separate report showed that Spain's gross domestic product rose 0.5% in the thid quarter, in line with estimates.
European equities had been boosted on Wednesday after ECB vice-president Vitor Constancio said the central bank could begin quantitative easing as soon as the first quarter of 2015.
Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders BNP Paribas (PARIS:BNPP) and Societe Generale (PARIS:SOGN) rose 0.26% and 0.38%, while Germany's Deutsche Bank (XETRA:DBKGn) and Commerzbank (XETRA:CBKG) added 0.27% and 0.11%.
Among peripheral lenders, Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo (MILAN:ISP) and Unicredit climbed 0.46% and 0.64% respectively, while Spanish bank Banco Santander edged up 0.11%.
Elsewhere, Remy Cointreau (PARIS:RCOP) saw shares surge 5.35% after the French cognac maker reported first-half operating profit that exceeded analysts' estimates.
On the downside, Infineon Technologies (XETRA:IFXGn) plummeted 2.02% after the German semiconductor manufacturer said first-quarter sales may decline by as much as 9% from the previous three months.
In London, FTSE 100 slipped 0.09%, led by Royal Mail, down 1.99% after Business Secretary Vince Cable accused the postal service giant of "scaremongering" over claims that it will not be able to maintain a universal delivery service.
Energy-linked stocks were also broadly lower, as BP (LONDON:BP) dropped 0.76% and Royal Dutch Shell (LONDON:RDSa) tumbled 1.21%, while Tullow Oil (LONDON:TLW) and Petrofac lost 1.24% and 1.75% respectively.
Mining stocks were mixed, with Fresnillo (LONDON:FRES) down 0.07% and Randgold Resources retreating 0.78%, while Bhp Billiton gained 0.59% and Rio Tinto jumped 1.32%.
Meanwhile, financial stocks moved mostly higher. Shares in the Royal Bank of Scotland (LONDON:RBS) added 0.16% and Lloyds Banking (LONDON:LLOY) rose 0.26%, while Barclays rallied 1.41%. HSBC Holdings (LONDON:HSBA) underperformed however, sliding 0.77%.
HSBC made headlines on Wednesday, as the U.K. lender was being sued, with U.S. counterpart Goldman Sachs, in New York over claims the two banks conspired for eight years to manipulate prices for the precious metals platinum and palladium.
GlaxoSmithKline edged up 0.10% following news its Ebola vaccine produced responses from the immune system and didn’t raise safety concerns in a study with 20 healthy adults.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a mixed open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.08% loss, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.08% rise, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.51% climb.
Later in the day, Germany was to release preliminary data on consumer price inflation, as well as reports on employment change and consumer climate.