BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks fought back from early losses on Thursday as traders snapped up shares ahead of the Easter break.
The Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone bluechip stocks rose 0.53 percent, for a modest weekly gain of 0.09.
The German DAX rose 1 percent. The French CAC 40 rose 0.6 percent, the UK's FTSE 100 added 0.6 percent.
Business software maker SAP lost percent after reporting quarterly results. Revenue from new software licenses dropped.
In Paris, Rémy Cointreau reported lower sales for the year. The stock lost 3 percent. Pernod-Ricard fell 2.3 percent.
Publicis Groupe rose 1.2 percent. The company reported growth in first-quarter revenue.
In London, Babcock International plunged 11 percent. The company announced the admission to trading of 139.26 million new ordinary shares of 60 pence each.
Diageo lost 0.6 percent. The drinks maker reported a fall in organic sales for the third quarter, hurt by weakness in the emerging markets.
Biotech major Actelion posted first-quarter earnings that beat expectations. The stock was up fractionally.
Akzo Nobel lost 5.8 percent in Amsterdam. The firm reported lower revenues amid adverse currency.
Demand for new passenger cars in the EU increased for the seventh consecutive month in March, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association reported. Car sales surged 10.6 percent in March from last year versus 8 percent rise in February.
Shares of European car makers rose on the news.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX