BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks were trading mixed on Thursday as investors adopted a cautious stance before the Easter weekend.
Most European markets will remain closed on Friday and Monday for the Easter holiday.
Meanwhile, the latest economic reports proved to be a mixed bag. While U.K. retail sales volumes unexpectedly rose in March, sluggish Eurozone PMI prints reignited global growth worries.
The IHS Markit Eurozone PMI Composite index hit a three-month low of 51.3 in April versus 51.6 in March.
The pan European Stoxx 600 was up 0.3 percent at 390.62 after closing up 0.1 percent in the previous session.
The German DAX was rising half a percent and France's CAC 40 index was moving up 0.3 percent while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was down 0.2 percent.
Lonza Group, a supplier to the pharmaceutical, healthcare and life-science industries, rallied 3.2 percent after maintaining its 2019 outlook.
Food group Nestle rose 1.3 percent. The company confirmed its 2019 guidance after reporting a 3.4 percent organic sales growth in the first quarter.
Consumer goods giant Unilever advanced 3.7 percent. The company's first-quarter underlying sales grew 3.1 percent led by emerging market business, which grew 5.0 percent.
French luxury goods conglomerate Kering tumbled 3.6 percent amid signs of a slowdown at its Gucci brand.
Energy management firm Schneider Electric jumped 4.6 percent after its Q1 revenues rose 8.7 percent on a reported basis.
Osram shares slumped 3.3 percent on a report that private equity firms Bain Capital and Carlyle Group were losing confidence in their bid for the German lighting group.
Moneysupermarket.com soared 8.4 percent after it reported first-quarter revenues of 104.9 million pounds, an increase of 19 percent from 88.3 million pounds in the prior-year quarter.
Industrial equipment rental company Ashtead rallied nearly 2 percent after its U.S. peer United Rentals topped Q1 estimates.
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