European stocks close higher with EU economic growth

ANKARA

European stock markets closed higher on Friday with positive investor sentiment amid EU economic growth in first quarter of 2021.

Gross domestic product rose 5.2% in the EU this January-March from the same quarter last year, according to an earlier flash estimate by the EU statistical office.

Quarter-on-quarter growth came in at 0.4%, Eurostat said.

The STOXX Europe 600, which includes around 90% of the market capitalization of the European market in 17 countries, rose 3.32 points, or 0.74%, to finish at 450.39 points.

London's FTSE 100 gained 35 points, or 0.47%, to 7,544.

Germany's DAX 30 added 118 points, or 0.84%, to end the day at 14,097, while France's CAC 40 rose 25 points, or 0.39%, to close at 6,533.

Italy's FTSE MIB gained 196 points, or 0.82%, to 24,252.

Spain's IBEX 35 was the top performer of the day, increasing 72 points, or 0.85%, to end the day at 8,584.