BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European markets closed higher on Friday, with investors reacting to a slew of economic data from the region and news about the defeat of British Primer Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal, and focusing on U.S.-China trade talks.
The pan European Stoxx 600 ended up 0.6%. Among the major markets in Europe, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 ended up 0.62%. Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 closed higher by 0.86% and 1.02%, respectively. Switzerland's SMI gained 0.76%.
Among other markets in Europe, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine ended on a firm note.
Czech Republic, Poland and Russia edged up marginally, while Finland, Norway and Sweden closed weak.
In the British Parliament today, May's draft proposal on Brexit was beaten by 344 votes to 286. The vote was only the 'Withdrawal deal' that covered British citizen's rights post Brexit, a $51 billion divorce deal and on how to treat the Irish land border.
Meanwhile, investors were focusing on trade negotiations between the U.S. and China, shrugging off recession fears. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Muchin posted on Twitter that the latest round of high-level U.S. trade talks as 'Constructive.'
Mnuchin also said he looks forward to welcoming China's Vice Premier Liu He to continue the important discussions in Washington next week.
In the U.K. market, Antofagast, CRH, Anglo American Foods, BAE Systems, Schroders, Smiths Group, Standard Life, Hargreaves Lansdown, Old Mutual and Glencore gained 2 to 4%.
Astrazeneca, Tui, Berkeley, Provident Financial and Taylor Wimpey declined sharply.
ST Microelectronics, Safran, Carrefour, Atos, Peugeot and ArcelorMittal were some of the major gainers in France.
Germany's Thyssenkrupp, Daimler, Bayer, Linde, SAP, HeidelbergCement, Infineon and Volkswagen posted strong gains.
Wirecard plunged more than 8% and Deutsche Telekom ended more than 4.5% down.
In economic news, Germany's retail sales grew 0.9% month-on-month in February, in contrast to economists' prediction for a 0.9% fall.
Meanwhile, employment in Germany grew by 1.1% in February and unemployment decreased an adjusted 20,500 persons from the previous month to 1.36 million.
Another report from the Statistical Office said import price inflation doubled to 1.6% in February, from 0.8% in January.
In U.K., house price inflation accelerated by a more than expected 0.7% year-on-year in March, following a 0.4% increase a month earlier.
France's statistical office INSEE said consumer price inflation in France slowed to its weakest in 18 months, coming in at 1.1% in March, from 1.3% in February.
A report from KOF Swiss Economic Institute said Switzerland's economy is likely to face weak growth in the coming months, despite a halt in the downward trend in the leading indicator which hit a four-month high in March.
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