12:14 PM EDT, 09/19/2025 (MT Newswires) -- European stock markets closed little changed in Friday trading as the Stoxx Europe 600 edged 0.16% lower, Germany's DAX was off 0.15%, the FTSE 100 declined 0.12%, France's CAC was down 0.01%, and the Swiss Market Index rose 0.50%.

In Germany, producer prices for industrial products declined 2.2% in August compared with a year earlier, according to the Federal Statistical Office. On a monthly basis, producer prices fell 0.5% in August compared with July.

In the UK, retail sales volumes increased an estimated 0.5% in August after it rose 0.5% in July, according to the Office for National Statistics. The ONS cited clothing stores, butchers and bakers, and non-store retailing as growing in August, which it attributed to good weather.

And in corporate news, Deutsche Bank Chief Executive Christian Sewing is set to face a multimillion-pound lawsuit filed by five former employees, the Financial Times reported Friday, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.

The lawsuit, which is reportedly expected to name both Sewing and the bank, stems from a flawed internal audit under his leadership that contributed to the 2019 criminal convictions of the ex-employees, which were later overturned in 2022. Deutsche Bank did not immediately respond to MT Newswires' request for comment.

Deutsche Bank has also been named along with Rothschild by Credit Agricole to explore options, including a potential merger between its Italian arm and Banco BPM, multiple media outlets reported Friday, citing unnamed sources. Deutsche Bank, Rothschild, Credit Agricole, and Banco BPM didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from MT Newswires.

Shares of Deutsche Bank gained 1.5% in Frankfurt.

BHP Group is likely to appoint the first female chief executive in its 140-year history, with Geraldine Slattery, head of the company's Australian division, emerging as the lead candidate, the Financial Times said Friday, citing people familiar with the board's thinking. BHP did not immediately respond to MT Newswires' request for comment.

Shares of BHP were off 0.3% in London.

Rio Tinto and other companies have received informal notice from Glencore that it is open to selling a stake in its copper mine in Congo, Bloomberg News reported Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. Glencore's assets in Congo include Kamoto Copper, a partnership with Gecamines and the Congolese government.

Glencore declined to comment, while Rio Tinto did not immediately respond to request for comment from MT Newswires.

Shares of Rio Tinto and Glencore rose 0.6% and 1.8% respectively on the FTSE 100.

Lloyds Banking is selling a significant risk transfer linked to around 500 million British pounds ($682.3 million) of commercial real estate loans, Bloomberg reported Thursday, according to people familiar with the matter. Lloyds declined to comment.

Shares of the British bank fell 2% in London.

Vodafone Group said Friday that Vodafone Romania and Digi Romania have signed deals with Hellenic Telecommunications to buy separate parts of the latter's Telekom Romania Mobile Communications unit. Under the terms, Vodafone will acquire the unit and its post-paid client base for 30 million euros ($35.3 million), while Digi Romania will acquire the pre-paid client business, the company said.

Shares of the British telecommunications operator increased 0.9% in London.