By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European stock markets were mostly
higher on Thursday as factory data for the euro zone showed the
manufacturing sector was stronger than expected in January.
The Stoxx Europe 600 index climbed 0.1% to 336.56, on track for
a third straight day of gains.
Shares of Delhaize Group SA rallied 7.1% after the Belgian
supermarket company said revenue rose in the fourth quarter and it
will continue to cut costs in 2014.
On a more downbeat note, shares of Pearson PLC dropped 4.4%
after the publisher said it continues to face tough trading this
year.
EasyJet PLC lost 1.8% after the budget airliner said it expects
to report a first-half pretax loss of between 70 million pounds
($116 million) and GBP90 million.
More broadly, investors weighed the latest round of purchasing
managers' indexes from the euro zone and China. The manufacturing
PMI for the currency union rose to a 32-month high in January,
beating analysts' expectations and providing further evidence the
region is recovering.
On a country-specific level, Germany's manufacturing PMI rose to
a 32-month high of 56.3, beating analyst expectations. France's
manufacturing sector continued to contract, albeit at a slower pace
than in December. A level above 50 signals expansion.
In China, the HSBC/Markit manufacturing PMI unexpectedly fell to
a six-month low of 49.6, indicating that the sector is contracting.
Mining firms in Europe declined after the data, as the industry is
sensitive to growth indications from China because the country is a
major user of natural resources.
Shares of Glencore Xstrata PLC (GLCNF) dropped 0.7%, BHP
Billiton PLC (BHP) fell 0.5% and Antofagasta PLC lost 0.2%.
The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index inched 0.1% higher to 6,832.29.
France's CAC 40 index picked up 0.3% to 4,336.65, and Germany's DAX
30 index was almost flat at 9,722.23.
More must-reads from MarketWatch:
Tech leaders call for greater NSA transparency
'Dr. Om' or 'Dr. Doom'? Roubini gets meditative in Davos
Some doubt in Washington about 'El-Erian to Fed' talk
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires