European stocks close: stocks closed higher on a rise in oil prices

Stock indices closed higher on a rise in oil prices. Oil prices rise ahead of the meeting between OPEC and non-OPEC countries in Doha on April 17. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Thursday that a deal on the freeze of the oil production would not balance the oil market. The agency noted that the oil market would balance in the second half of the year.

Market participants also eyed the economic data from the Eurozone. Eurozone's harmonized consumer price index rose 1.2% in March, in line with expectations, after a 0.2% increase in February.

On a yearly basis, Eurozone's final consumer price inflation increased to 0.0% in March from -0.2% in February, up from the preliminary reading of -0.1%.

Restaurants and cafés prices were up 0.12% year-on-year in March, rents increased by 0.07%, package holidays rose by 0.09%, fuel prices for transport declined by 0.60%, heating oil prices decreased by 0.23%, while gas prices were down by 0.10%.

Eurozone's final consumer price inflation excluding food, energy, alcohol and tobacco climbed to an annual rate of 1.0% in March from 0.8 in February, in line with the preliminary reading.

The Bank of England (BoE) released its interest rate decision on Thursday. The BoE kept its interest rates unchanged at 0.5% and its asset purchase program unchanged at £375 billion. This decision was widely expected.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) released its March meeting minutes on Thursday. All members voted to keep the central bank's monetary policy unchanged. The BoE noted that the pound depreciated in the recent month, adding that uncertainty around the referendum on Britain's membership in the European Union weighed on the currency.

The central bank said that uncertainty around the referendum on Britain's membership in the European Union also weighed on Britain's economy.

Indexes on the close:

Name Price Change Change %

FTSE 100 6,365.1 +2.21 +0.03 %

DAX 10,093.65 +67.55 +0.67 %

CAC 40 4,511.51 +21.20 +0.47 %