By Investors Hub
European stocks are little changed on Thursday as oil has extended its climb and the dollar index stood little changed against a basket of six major currencies.
While the U.K.?s FTSE 100 Index is just above the unchanged line, the French CAC 40 Index is up by 0.1 percent and the German DAX Index is up by 0.3 percent.
Trading volume has remained light across the region amid holidays in Greece, Switzerland, Austria and the Nordics for Ascension Day.
Italy’s biggest bank Unicredit has advanced after its first quarter net profit increased by double digits.
Royal Bank of Scotland Group has also moved to the upside. The bank has agreed to pay a $4.9 billion penalty to settle a U.S. Justice Department investigation about the issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities.
Retailer Next Plc has also jumped after posting better than expected first quarter sales and raising its profit guidance.
Meanwhile, gold producer Randgold Resources has slumped after it reported a 22 percent decline in profits for the first quarter from last year.
Home builder Barratt Developments has also moved lower after releasing its trading update for the period from January 1st to May 6th.
On the data front, U.K. industrial production grew marginally in March, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed. Industrial output rose 0.1 percent month-on-month in March, the same pace of increase as seen in February. Output was expected to gain 0.2 percent.
The U.K. house price balance hit its lowest level since November of 2012, largely driven by the weakness in London, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors reported. The house price balance came in at -8 in April after stagnating in March.
Adedapo Adesanya