European stocks close: stocks mostly lower after the weaker-than-expected U.S. retail sales and initial jobless claims

Stock indices traded mostly lower after the weaker-than-expected U.S. retail sales and initial jobless claims. The U.S. retail sales increased 0.3% in May, missing expectations for a 0.5% gain, after a 0.5% rise in April. April’s figure was revised up to a 0.5% gain from an increase of 0.1%.

The U.S. core retail sales excluding automobile sales were up 0.1% in May, missing expectations for a 0.4% increase, after a 0.4% rise in April. April’s figure was revised up to 0.4% from 0%.

The U.S. Labor Department released the number of initial jobless claims. The initial jobless claims in the week ending June 7 rose by 4,000 to 317,000. Analysts had forecasted the decline by 6,000 to 306,000.

Earlier in the trading session, the industrial production in the Eurozone was released. The industrial production in the Eurozone increased 0.8% in April, beating expectations for a 0.5% gain, after a 0.3% decline in March.

On a year-over-year basis, Eurozone’s industrial production rose 1.4% in April, exceeding expectations for a 0.9% increase, after a 0.1% fall in March.

Indexes on the close:

Name                                   Price                                    Change                 Change %

FTSE 100                             6,843.11                               +4.29                        +0.06%

DAX                                     9,938.70                               -11.11                        -0.11%

CAC 40                                4,554.40                                 -0.71                        -0.02%