Europe close: Stocks end mixed despite dovish ECB
European shares ended Thursday's session in mixed fashion despite more dovish than expected messaging on the interest rate outlook out of European Central Bank boss Christine Lagarde.
The pan-regional Stoxx 600 index edged up 0.30% to 478.53, with the German Dax edging up by 0.1% to 16,906.92 alongside.
Spain's Ibex 35 and the Italy's FTSE Mib however both fell by just over half a percentage point.
Economists at Berenberg and Pantheon Macroeconomics both highlighted the fact that Lagarde did not expressly rule out the possibility of a reduction in rates as early as next April.
In the background, German business sentiment deteriorated further in January, according to a survey released by the Ifo Institute.
IFO's closely-followed business climate index fell to 85.2 from 86.3 in December, coming in well below consensus expectations of 86.7.
It followed a GDP forecast cut for Europe's biggest economy from the same organisation on Wednesday.
In equity news, shares in Nokia jumped after the telecoms giant said it would start a two-year €600m share buyback this quarter, despite posting plunging profit in 2023.
Online trading platform IG Group slumped as it reported a drop in interim revenues and profits, citing "softer market conditions" and a strong comparative period.
Wizz Air fell after the budget airline reported a bigger third-quarter operating loss, due to engine inspections that have grounded parts of its fleet and the suspension of flights in response to the Middle East conflict.