Major stock indices in Europe show moderate activity

European stocks traded mostly in positive territory, near a seven-week high, as investors analyze corporate reports and monitor the situation on the oil market.

Oil prices are rising slightly, slowly recovering after yesterday's crash. However, concern about the increase in US oil inventories and record levels of production in Saudi Arabia may not allow oil to continue its upward movement.

A slight effect on the indices have data from Britain and France. The report of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reported that the cost of housing in Britain rose in July at the slowest rate in the past three years. Demand decreased significantly, and the houses offered for sale turned out to be at a record low. So far, housing prices are rising slightly, but it is expected that in the next year will begin to decline. The pressure on the cost of housing have had changes in the tax laws of the country. "Now the housing market adjusts to conflicting economic data and the Bank of England recently adopted stimulus measures - said the chief economist at RICS Simon Rabinson".

At the same time, the National Bureau of Statistics Insee said that the inflation rate in France fell by 0.4% in July from the previous month. However, the consumer price index rose by 0.2% y/y. Changes in line with the forecasts of most economists. Lower inflation occurred against the background of falling prices for products and manufacturing. Their value fell by 2.9% compared with the previous month. Clothing and footwear fell by 14%. Energy prices fell by 1.3%. The harmonized index of consumer prices in the second economy of Europe rose 0.4% compared with the same period last year, after rising 0.3% in June.

The composite index of Europe's largest companies Stoxx 600 added 0.3 percent. Trading volume today about a third lower than the average for the last 30 days. Yesterday, the shares intrerupted a five-day increase, which was supported by optimism that central banks will encourage growth as well as better than expected US labor market data. "We had a good rally, and investors have realized that it can not go on forever, - said Peter Dixon, Commerzbank AG economist -.. Macro and corporate news are not able to give the markets a big push, however, uncertainty about Brexit and Fed futre hikes inhibit the increase of shares. "

Quotes of Zurich Insurance Group AG rose 4 percent after the insurance company announced a smaller-than-expected decline in revenue.

Shares of Belgian lender KBC Group NV rose by 4.7 per cent, since the sum of earnings and revenue topped analysts' estimates.

The capitalization of ThyssenKrupp AG fell 1.3 percent after the largest steel producer in Germany reported a decline in quarterly profit.

At the moment:

FTSE 100 6848.32 -18.10 -0.26%

DAX +60.25 10711.14 + 0.57%

CAC 40 +29.88 4481.89 + 0.67%