By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) — European stock markets rose in choppy trade on Thursday, a day after most major bourses closed at 2013 lows and extended losses into a fourth straight trading day.
The Stoxx Europe 600 index XX:SXXP +0.46% added 0.2% to 284.21, after putting in its largest four-day drop since last July on Wednesday.
Shares of Debenhams PLC UK:DEB +7.95% soared 9.2%, after the retailer reported a 2.7% rise in half-year earnings per share and said it sees market-share gains in both clothing and non-clothing categories.
Shares of Nestle SA CH:NESN -0.93% lost 1.7%, after the Kit-Kat and Nescafe maker reported first-quarter sales below expectations, as it faces slowing demand in Europe, America and emerging markets.
Akzo Nobel NV NL:AKZA -4.16% AKZOY -3.50% sank 4.2%, as the paints and coating firm said the economic environment remains challenging after posting a drop in revenue and operating profit.
For the broader European markets, the tone was a little milder than on Wednesday, when most indexes shaved off year-to-date gains amid worries of a slowdown in the global recovery.
U.S. stock markets also fell sharply in the prior day’s trade, with sentiment hit by disappointing earnings and worries over Apple.
Futures for U.S. stock indexes pointed to a higher open on Wall Street.
Later in the day, attention is likely to turn to a bond auction in Spain and U.S. jobless claims from last week.
Among country-specific indexes in Europe, France’s CAC 40 index FR:PX1 +0.94% added 0.5% to 3,616.15, with oil giant Total SA FR:FP +1.01% TOT -3.05% up 1%, tracking oil prices higher.
Supermarkets chain Carrefour SA FR:CA +0.56% slipped 0.9%, as it posted a drop in first-quarter sales, affected by negative currency effects.
