Investing.com - European stocks were mostly lower on Friday, as markets were still digesting comments by European Central Bank President Mario Drgahi and were eyeing the release of euro zone inflation data due later in the day.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 edged down 0.16%, France’s CAC 40 eased up 0.04%, while Germany’s DAX 30 fell 0.16%.
European equities weakened after ECB President Draghi said on Thursday that there isn’t enough evidence to change the ECB’s inflation outlook.
The remarks came after the central bank left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a record-low 0.0%, in line with forecasts.
Earlier Friday, data showed that German retail sales rose 0.1% in March, confounding expectations for a 0.3% fall. Retail sales increased by 1.1% in February, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated gain of 1.8%.
Financial stocks were broadly lower, as French lenders Societe Generale (PA:SOGN) and BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) slipped 0.17% and 0.35%, while Germany’s Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) and Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) lost 0.27% and 1.53%.
Among peripheral lenders, Spain’s Banco Santander (MC:SAN) and BBVA (MC:BBVA) retreated 0.44% and 1.10% respectively. Italian banks Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:ISP) and Unicredit (MI:CRDI) overperformed however, as shares gained 0.15% and 0.40%.
Elsewhere, Sanofi (PA:SASY) SA jumped 2.06% after the French drugmaker reported a 4% increase in business net income and a 11% rise in sales.
In London, FTSE 100 edged down 0.16%, weighed by Barclays (LON:BARC), whose shares plunged 4.40% after the lender reported a decline in net profit to £190 million from £433 million a year ago.
Other U.K. banks added to losses, as Lloyds Banking (LON:LLOY) declined 0.46% and HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) slipped 0.17%. However, the Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) saw shares advance 0.95% after announcing a net profit of £259 million, compared to a £968 million net loss a year ago.
Meanwhile, mining stocks were broadly higher on the commodity-heavy index. Shares in Glencore (LON:GLEN) climbed 1.60% and Fresnillo (LON:FRES) jumped 1.67%, while BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) surged 1.78%.
Micro Focus International (LON:MCRO) was one of the top performers on the index, with shares up 2.08% after analysts at Deutsche Bank gave the stock a ‘buy’ rating.
In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a moderately lower pen. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.11% fall, S&P 500 futures showed a 0.09% loss, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.09% downtick.