12:35 PM EDT, 08/07/2025 (MT Newswires) -- The European stock markets closed mostly higher in Thursday trading as the Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.92%, Germany's DAX climbed 1.12%, the FTSE 100 was off 0.69%, France's CAC increased 0.97%, and the Swiss Market Index was up 0.80%.

In Germany, price-adjusted production in the manufacturing sector declined 1.9% in June compared with May, according to preliminary data from the Federal Statistical Office, falling to its lowest level since May 2020 during the COVID pandemic.

In the UK, house prices rose 0.4% in July from June, the highest monthly rise since the start of the year, according to the Halifax House Price index. Prices rose 2.4% from a year earlier.

And in corporate news, shares of Novo Nordisk gained nearly 7% in Copenhagen, despite lowering its 2025 sales growth guidance.

Rio Tinto said it has approved a $180 million investment to begin work on the Norman Creek access project at its Amrun bauxite mine in Queensland. Shares edged down 0.1% in London.

WPP reported sharply lower H1 earnings. It also cut its interim dividend to 7.5 pence from 15 pence a year ago. Shares of WPP closed down 2.6% in London.