European stocks closed higher on Friday, rebounding from recent losses, due largely to traders indulging in some bargain hunting at several top counters despite persisting worries about inflation, slowing growth and looming interest rate hikes.
Encouraging data on UK retail sales for the month of April, and the People's Bank of China's decision to cut its key lending rates by a record quantum to spur growth helped lift sentiment to some extent.
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April 24, 2026 15:15 ET Economics news flow was relatively light this week even as the conflict in the Middle East continued, raising concerns for policymakers. In the U.S., spending data, initial jobless claims and pending home sales were the highlights. Business confidence in the biggest euro area economy was in focus in Europe. Inflation data from Japan gained attention in Asia.