12:12 PM EDT, 06/28/2024 (MT Newswires) -- The European stock markets closed mostly lower in Friday trading as The Stoxx Europe 600 lost 0.24%, the Swiss Market Index was off 0.09%, France's CAC dropped 0.68%, the FTSE in London was down 0.19%, and Germany's DAX closed 0.13% higher.

In the UK, gross domestic product increased 0.7% in Q1 with real GDP per head showing growth of 0.5% after seven quarters without positive growth, according to the Office for National Statistics.

In Germany, the number of people employed increased 0.3% in May compared with a year earlier, according to the Federal Statistical Office.

In France, the consumer price index is expected to rise 2.1% in June after increasing 2.3% in May, according to preliminary data from the Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies.

And in corporate news, Microsoft's investment into OpenAI is being probed by European regulators who are suspicious the company uses its cloud technology dominance to stymie other competitors, Bloomberg reported Friday, citing unnamed sources.

Italian tax authorities are seeking an additional 1 billion euros ($1.07 billion) in tax payments and penalties from Alphabet's Google unit, Reuters reported Friday, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.

Finnish telecommunications company Nokia has agreed to acquire telco equipment company Infinera, the companies said Thursday. The transaction values Infinera at $6.65 per share, or an enterprise value of $2.3 billion.

And German airline operator Lufthansa's Chief Executive Carsten Spohr believes airplane delivery issues will not be resolved before the end of the decade, Reuters reported Friday, citing Spohr.