European markets closed higher Wednesday, shaking off some of the negative sentiment seen at the start of the new quarter after euro zone inflation fell more than expected.
European markets
The pan-European Stoxx 600 index closed 0.33% higher, with most sectors in positive territory. Banks added 1.4% while food and beverage stocks dropped 0.9%.
Wednesday was light on the corporate earnings front, as investors digested fresh inflation data out of the euro zone. Prices in the 20-nation euro zone eased to 2.4% in March, according to flash figures, lower than the 2.6% forecast in a Reuters poll.
Markets finished lower in Asia-Pacific, tracking declines on Wall Street overnight, with shares of electric vehicle makers dropping on demand worries. U.S. stocks traded higher on Wednesday.