European stocks ended slightly higher on Thursday, after swinging between gains and losses through the session, as investors were reluctant to take any big risks ahead of a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

U.S. stocks closed off intraday highs Thursday as President Donald Trump hosted his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for their first official meeting, as investors sought clues to how the leaders of the world's economic powerhouses will tackle trade and geopolitical issues.

Asian equity markets erased early gains and the yen and oil prices rose sharply after the U.S. launched cruise missiles at a Syrian airbase in response to a recent chemical attack. The strikes represented the first time a U.S. military operation has deliberately targeted the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.