European shares closed mixed on Thursday, after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi hinted as to the possibility of further aggressive stimulus measures and hit back at claims of dissent at the Bank.
The French CAC index closed provisionally 0.5 percent higher, while the German DAX was up 0.7 at market close. However, the Italian FTSE MIB ended the session around 0.8 percent lower and the Spain's IBEX closed down around 0.2 percent.
The U.K. FTSE 100 closed unofficially up 0.2 percent.
European markets
"It is fairly normal to disagree about things," Draghi said at his regular press conference on Thursday, after the bank decided to keep interest rates at their record lows.
The president had been the subject of speculation that members of the ECB Governing Council were planning to challenge him over his management and communication style.
As well as quashing rumors of dissent, Draghi added that council members were unified in their desire to instigating more stimulus programs if needed.
"Should it become necessary to further address risks of too prolonged a period of low inflation, the Governing Council is unanimous in its commitment to using additional unconventional instruments within its mandate," Draghi said.
The Bank of England also opted to hold its benchmark rate at 0.5 percent and maintain the size of its asset-purchasing program at £375 billion ($597 billion) on Thursday, as expected. The minutes of its latest meeting will be published at 09.30 a.m. GMT on November 19.
In the morning, sentiment was knocked by German industrial orders that came in weaker than expected, substantiating fears that the euro zone's biggest economy is struggling.
Credit Agricole tumbles
Shares in Credit Agricole closed around 5.8 percent lower, at the bottom of the French CAC, after disappointing third-quarter earnings. Analysts at Citi described them as a "weaker set of results".
Rival Societe Generale also performed poorly, closing down roughly 2.5 percent, after reporting a weak quarter in its retail banking unit.
U.K. supermarket chains outperformed on Thursday, following Marks & Spencer's better-than-expected results on Wednesday. M&S closed up around 5.9 percent; shares of WM Morrison climbed around 6.2 percent, despite the retailer posting a drop in third-quarter sales. Stock of Sainsbury ended just over 6 percent higher.
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