BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks ticked higher on Friday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his country was ready for direct negotiations with Lebanon, while insisting that Israel's attacks across the country targeting Hezbollah would continue.
In economic releases, Germany's consumer price inflation reached the strongest since January 2024 due to the significant rise in energy prices following the Iran war, final data from Destatis revealed.
Consumer price inflation rose to 2.7 percent in March from 1.9 percent in February.
The rate came in line with the preliminary estimate published on March 30. The 2.7 percent was the highest level recorded since January 2024.
EU harmonized inflation advanced to 2.8 percent, as estimated, from 2.0 percent in February.
The pan European Stoxx 600 edged up by 0.4 percent to 614.78 amid guarded optimism ahead of U.S.-Iran diplomatic talks scheduled for the weekend.
Market participants also await crucial U.S. CPI data later in the day for additional clues on the Federal Reserve's rate trajectory this year.
The German DAX added 0.1 percent, France's CAC 40 gained 0.2 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was marginally higher.
German luxury carmaker Porsche was moving lower after reporting a decline in first-quarter deliveries.
Skanska added 1.6 percent. The Swedish construction group has signed a contract to build a high-tech facility in the United States valued at approximately SEK 1.3 billion.
French food caterer Sodexo slumped 13 percent after reporting a sharp decline in first-half earnings and cutting its annual sales and profitability targets.
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