European stocks close: stocks closed lower on the weak economic data from Asia

Stock indices closed lower on the weak economic data from Asia. The Chinese producer price index (PPI) dropped 5.9% in August, missing forecasts of a 5.5% fall, after a 5.4% decline in July. It was the biggest decline since 2009.

Core machine orders in Japan dropped 3.6% in August, missing expectations for a 3.7% rise, after a 7.9% decline in July.

On a yearly basis, core machine orders in Japan rose 2.8% in August, missing forecasts of a 10.5% gain, after a 16.6% rise in July.

Meanwhile, the economic data from the Eurozone was mixed. The French statistical office Insee its industrial production figures on Thursday. Industrial production in France fell 0.8% in July, missing expectations for a 0.2% rise, after a flat reading in June. June's figure was revised up from a 0.1% decline.

The decline was driven by a drop in electrical and electronic equipment output, which fell 2.0%.

On a yearly basis, the French industrial production rose 0.7% in July, after a 1.0% gain in June. June's figure was revised up from a 0.7% increase.

Spanish statistical office INE released its industrial production figures for Spain on Thursday. Industrial production in Spain was up 0.6% in July, after a 0.4% gain in June.

On a yearly basis, industrial production in Spain climbed at adjusted 5.2% in July, after a 4.5% increase in June.

Halifax released its house prices data for the U.K. on Thursday. House prices in the U.K. increased 2.7% in August, after a 0.4% fall in July. July's figure was revised up from a 0.6% decline.

On a yearly basis, house prices climbed 9.0% in the three months to August, after a 7.8% increase in the three months to July. July's figure was revised down from a 7.8% gain.

"The shortage of second-hand properties for sale on the market is resulting in upward pressure on house prices. At the same time, economic recovery, real earnings growth and very low mortgage rates are supporting housing demand. Strengthening demand and highly constrained supply are likely to mean that house price growth continues to be robust in the short-term," Halifax's housing economist Martin Ellis said.

Indexes on the close:

Name Price Change Change %

FTSE 100 6,155.81 -73.20 -1.18 %

DAX 10,210.44 -92.68 -0.90 %

CAC 40 4,596.53 -68.06 -1.46 %