Major European stock equities closed mostly higher on Wednesday after it was reported that Spain's GPD grew 0.8% in the fourth quarter of last year, beating expectations. At the same time, Italy saw a rise in consumer confidence in January while at the same time, the Bank of England (BoE) governor spoke in favor of boosting the growth rate of the United Kingdom's economy. In addition, investors will also keep a close eye on the United States Federal Reserve's key interest rate decision which will be announced today.
The DAX rose 0.91% after Daimler Truck surged 7.57%. The Euro Stoxx 50 increased 0.65% with ASML Holding rising 5.55%. Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 added 0.25% as Jd Sports Fashion went up 4.63%. On the other hand, France's CAC 40 declined 0.40% with Kering SA losing 5.40%.
On the currency front, the euro was 0.13% weaker against the dollar, selling for $1.04182 at 5:29 pm CET. The pound sterling traded lower against the dollar, exchanging for $1.24336 a minute later.