European stocks close: stocks closed higher despite mixed economic data from the Eurozone

Stock indices closed higher despite mixed economic data from the Eurozone. Eurostat released its unemployment data for the Eurozone on Monday. Eurozone's unemployment rate declined to 10.3% in February from 10.4% in January, in line with expectations. It was the lowest reading since August 2011. January's figure was revised up from 10.3%. The lowest unemployment rate in the Eurozone in February was recorded in Germany (4.3%) and the highest in Greece (24.0% in December 2015) and Spain (20.4%).

Eurostat's producer price index for the Eurozone declined 0.7% in February, missing expectations for a 0.6% fall, after a 1.1% decrease in January's figure was revised down from a 1.0% drop.

Intermediate goods prices fell 0.4% in February, capital goods prices were flat, non-durable consumer goods prices were down 0.2% and durable consumer goods prices were up 0.1%, while energy prices decreased 2.1%.

On a yearly basis, Eurozone's producer price index dropped 4.2% in February, missing expectations for a 4.0% decline, after a 3.0% fall in January. January's figure was revised down from a 2.9% decrease.

Eurozone's producer prices excluding energy fell 0.8% year-on-year in February. Energy prices dropped at an annual rate of 12.8%.

Market research group Sentix released its investor confidence index for the Eurozone on Monday. The index rose to 5.7 in April from 5.5 in March. A reading above 0.0 indicates optimism, below indicates pessimism.

"The process of economic stabilization of investors expectations has continued at the beginning of April," Sentix said in its statement.

"The Eurozone can benefit neither from a stabilization of the global economy nor from the measures of the ECB," Sentix added.

European Central Bank (ECB) Executive Board member Peter Praet said in a speech on Monday that the central bank would ease its monetary policy further to boost inflation in the Eurozone if needed. He pointed out that central banks should be active to reach price stability.

Markit's and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply's construction purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the U.K. remained unchanged at 54.2 in March, beating expectations for a decrease to 54.0.

A reading above 50 indicates expansion in the construction sector.

A slowdown in residential work offset rebound in civil engineering and commercial work. New business growth slowed down in March, while job creation weakened.

Indexes on the close:

Name Price Change Change %

FTSE 100 6,164.72 +18.67 +0.30 %

DAX 9,822.08 +27.44 +0.28 %

CAC 40 4,345.22 +22.98 +0.53 %