By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) — European stock markets battled to extend gains into a fourth straight session on Thursday, ahead of debt sales in Italy and initial jobless claims in the U.S.
The Stoxx Europe 600 index XX:SXXP +0.46% was slightly lower at 293.19, after posting the best daily performance in a little over a month on Wednesday.
Shares of Ashmore Group PLC UK:ASHM +14.00% surged 11%, after the emerging-markets asset manager said assets under management for the quarter ended March 31 rose 9.4% to $77.7 billion.
Pointing in the other direction, shares of Evraz PLC UK:EVR -8.92% sank 14%, as the steelmaker said it sees strong downside risks to the steel markets in 2013, prompting the firm’s board to suggest canceling a final 2012 dividend.
Other miners were also trending lower, as most metals prices were on the decline. Kazakhmys PLC UK:KAZ -4.70% dropped 6.1% and Anglo American PLC UK:AAL -1.68% gave up 2%.
The data calendar was light on Thursday, with investors instead expected to focus on Italy selling three- and 15-year bonds later in the day.
The FTSE MIB index XX:FTSEMIB +0.41% was up 0.2% at 15,960.97 ahead of the debt sale.
In the U.S., data on initial jobless claims out at 1:30 p.m. London time, or 8:30 a.m. Eastern, will be monitored for any clues of an improvement in the labor market. Nonfarm payrolls revealed last week that job creation in March was well below expectations, easing fears that the Federal Reserve will soon fade out its asset purchases.
Minutes from the central bank’s March meeting released on Wednesday showed several Fed officials recommended tapering bond purchases later in the year and halt it altogether by year-end if the job market improves.
U.S. stocks closed higher on Wall Street, with the S&P 500 index SPX +1.22% climbing to an intraday record.
Back in Europe, most major country-specific indexes struggled for direction.
France’s CAC 40 index FR:PX1 +0.50% was slightly higher at 3,745.29, while Germany’s DAX 30 index DX:DAX +0.46% was flat around 7,810.35.
The U.K.’s FTSE 100 index UK:UKX +0.24% was steady at 6,387.70.
Sara Sjolin is a MarketWatch reporter based in London. Follow her on Twitter @sarasjolin.
