12:18 PM EDT, 08/30/2024 (MT Newswires) -- European stock markets were mixed Friday as the Stoxx Europe 600 gained 0.09%, the Swiss Market Index was up 0.15%, France's CAC was off 0.13%, the FTSE in London declined 0.04%, and Germany's DAX closed 0.03% lower.

Euro area annual inflation was indicated at 2.2% in August, down from 2.6% in July, according to a flash estimate from Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU. Among the main components, the services sector may have the highest annual rate, followed by food, alcohol and tobacco, and non-energy industrial goods.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the euro area was 6.4% in July, down from 6.5% in June and 6.6% a year earlier, Eurostat said. The EU unemployment rate was 6% in July, unchanged from the previous month and July 2023.

In France, Q2 GDP increased 0.2% in volume terms, according to the Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. The consumer price index is expected to rise 1.9% after climbing 2.3% in July, according to a provisional estimate made at the end of the month. The decrease in inflation was attributed to a slowdown in energy prices.

In Italy, the consumer price index increased 0.2% in August from July and rose 1.1% from a year earlier, according to the Italian National Institute of Statistics. Employment increased 0.2% in July from June.

In the UK, house prices fell 0.2% in August from July, while the annual growth rate rose to 2.4% from 2.1% in July, according to the Nationwide House Price Index. It was the fastest rate of annual growth since December 2022.

In corporate news, HSBC said Thursday that Group Chief Operating Officer John Hinshaw is leaving to pursue other opportunities. Suzy White was named as interim group chief operating officer and Stuart Riley as group chief information officer.

TotalEnergies signed a $100 million agreement with Anew Climate and Aurora Sustainable Lands to support projects designed to protect forests.

NuCana said late Thursday it is discontinuing phase 2 testing of its NUC-3373 drug candidate intended to treat colorectal cancer.