BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French stocks eked out modest gains on Thursday after official data showed French industrial production continued to expand in October.
Industrial output climbed 1.6 percent month-on-month, the same rate of increase as seen in September. This was the sixth consecutive rise in production and faster than the economists' forecast of 0.4 percent.
At the same time, manufacturing output growth eased to 0.5 percent from 2.3 percent a month ago.
Compared to February, the last month before the beginning of the first general lockdown, industrial output was down by 3.6 percent and manufacturing by 5.0 percent.
The benchmark CAC 40 rose 18 points, or 0.3 percent, to 5,564 after declining 0.3 percent on Wednesday.
Investors await a European Central Bank (ECB) decision due later in the day amid expectations the central bank will extend and lengthen its pandemic bond-buying program. The ECB policy decision is due at 1245 GMT, followed by a press conference at 1330 GMT.
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