12:15 PM EST, 01/09/2025 (MT Newswires) -- European stock markets closed mostly higher Thursday as the Stoxx Europe rose 0.43%, the FTSE in London gained 0.83%, France's CAC increased 0.51%, the Swiss Market Index was up 0.43%, while Germany's DAX eased 0.05%.

Seasonally adjusted retail trade volume increased 0.1% in the euro area and 0.2% in the EU in November from October, according to preliminary estimates from Eurostat. Compared with a year earlier, the calendar adjusted retail sales index increased 1.2% in the euro area and 1.5% in the EU.

The European Central Bank said Tuesday that the median rate of perceived inflation over the previous 12 months increased to 3.4% in November from 3.2% in October. The bank also said median expectations for inflation over the next 12 months rose to 2.6% from 2.5%.

In the UK, the KPMG and REC UK jobs survey, compiled by S&P Global, showed a "further decline" in permanent job placements at companies in December. The report also said temp billings declined in December at a faster pace than the previous month.

In Germany, exports rose 2.1% in November from October, adjusted for calendar and seasonal factors, while imports were down 3.3%, according to the Federal Statistical Office. The foreign trade balance ended November with a surplus of 19.7 billion euros ($20.3 billion).

Germany's price-adjusted production in manufacturing rose 1.5% in November from October.

In corporate news, Shell will write off $400 million over an offshore oil discovery in Namibia that it deemed commercially unviable, Reuters reported. "The discovered resources cannot currently be confirmed for commercial development," Shell told MT Newswires.

UBS Group is close to agreeing to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to settle alleged violations of US tax laws by defunct Credit Suisse, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices will hold talks with the Dutch government on the creation of an artificial-intelligence facility in the Netherlands, the government said.