The Bank of Japan (BoJ) released its monthly economic report on Wednesday. The BoJ said that the economy recovered moderately. Exports are expected to rise due to the recovery in overseas economies.

"Private consumption is expected to remain resilient," the central bank said.

The BoJ expects the consumer price inflation to be about 0% year-on-year.

Stock indices closed higher on a weaker euro, lower oil prices and quantitative easing by the European Central Bank (ECB).

German industrial production increased 0.2% in February, exceeding expectations for a 0.1% rise, after a 0.4% decline in January. January's figure was revised down from a 0.6% increase.

Greece repaid the International Monetary Fund (IMF) tranche of 448 million euros today.

The Bank of England kept its monetary policy unchanged today.

The U.K. trade deficit in goods widened to £10.3 billion in February from £9.2 billion in January, missing expectations for a deficit of £9.1 billion. January's figure was revised down from a deficit of £8.4 billion.

The increase of the deficit was driven by a decline in exports of goods to countries outside the European Union.

The U.K. Halifax house price index climbed 0.4% in March, after a 0.4% decline in February. February's figure was revised down from a 0.3% decrease.

Indexes on the close:

Name Price Change Change %

FTSE 100 7,015.36 +77.95 +1.1 %

DAX 12,166.44 +130.58 +1.1 %

CAC 40 5,208.95 +72.09 +1.4 %

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development released its monthly growth outlook on Thursday. The composite leading indicator remained unchanged at 100.3 in February.

The OECD said that growth momentum will be stable in the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan.

Growth momentum is expected to ease in China, Canada, Russia and Brazil.

In the Eurozone, growth momentum is expected to strengthen.

The Bank of France Thursday upgraded its first quarter growth forecast for the French economy to 0.4% due to the growth in industrial production and stronger foreign demand.

The central bank had cut its forecast to 0.3% in March, down from a previous estimate of 0.4%.

The French economy grew 0.1% in the fourth quarter.

The European Commission forecast that the French economy will increase by 1% in 2015 and by 1.8% in 2014.

The French economy expanded 0.4% in 2014.

The French government has also estimated 1% growth for 2015.

The Halifax releases its house price index data for the U.K. on Thursday. The U.K. Halifax house price index climbed 0.4% in March, after a 0.4% decline in February. February's figure was revised down from a 0.3% decrease.

The increase was driven by wages growth and low mortgage rates.

On y yearly basis, U.K. Halifax house price index rose 8.1% in March, after a 8.3% increase in February.

"The recent return to real earnings growth for the first time in several years, very low mortgage rates and last December's stamp duty changes are supporting housing demand," the Halifax economist Martin Ellis said.

He added that the rising level of prices in relation to earnings should curb price growth and activity.

The U.S. Commerce Department released wholesale inventories on Thursday. Wholesale inventories in the U.S. rose 0.3% in February, missing expectations for a 0.1% gain, after a 0.4% increase in January. January's figure was revised down from a 0.3% rise.

The increase was driven by lower wholesale sales. Wholesale sales declined by 0.2% in February, driven by a 2.4% fall in sales of durable goods.

Inventories of durable goods increased 0.3% in February, while inventories of non-durable goods climbed by 0.2%.

Statistics Canada released its new housing price index on Thursday. New housing price index in Canada rose 0.2% in February, exceeding expectations for a 0.1% gain, after a 0.1% decrease in January.

The increase was driven by gains in the Toronto and Oshawa region where prices rose 0.3% as some builders offered promotional packages.

Prices were unchanged in nine of the 21 metropolitan areas.

On a yearly basis, new housing price index in Canada climbed 1.4% in February, after a 1.4% increase in January.

Statistics Canada released housing market data on Thursday. Building permits in Canada declined 0.9% in February, missing expectations for a 5.1% gain, after a 12.3% drop in January. January's figure was revised up from a 12.9% fall.

Building permits for non-residential construction plunged 5.4% in February, while permits in the residential sector rose 1.5%.

Lower non-residential permits were driven by weaker demand in central Canada and Alberta.

The U.K. Office for National Statistics (ONS) released trade data on Thursday. The U.K. trade deficit in goods widened to £10.3 billion in February from £9.2 billion in January, missing expectations for a deficit of £9.1 billion. It was the lowest level since July 2014.

January's figure was revised down from a deficit of £8.4 billion.

The increase of the deficit was driven by a decline in exports of goods to countries outside the European Union. The value of exports decreased to the lowest level since September 2010.

Exports fell by 3.7% in February, while imports rose by 0.8%.

Shipments to the EU decreased 0.3%, while exports to non-EU countries dropped by 6.6%.

The total trade deficit, including services, widened to £2.86 billion in February from £1.54 billion in January.

U.S. stock-index futures were little changed, after equities advanced, as Alcoa Inc. unofficially kicked off the earnings season with quarterly sales that missed projections.

Global markets:

Nikkei 19,937.72 +147.91 +0.7%

Hang Seng 26,944.39 +707.53 +2.7%

Shanghai Composite 3,958.54 -36.27 -0.9%

FTSE 6,989.95 +52.54 +0.8%

CAC 5,186.13 +49.27 +1.0%

DAX 12,098.5 +62.64 +0.5%

Crude oil $50.97 (+1.05%)

Gold $1198.40 (-0.39%)

(company / ticker / price / change, % / volume)

Upgrades:

Downgrades:

Other:

Alcoa (AA) reiterated at Buy at Stifel, target lowered from $20 to $19

The Bank of England (BoE) released its interest rate decision on Thursday. The BoE kept its interest rates unchanged at 0.5% and its asset purchase program unchanged at £375 billion. This decision was widely expected.

Low inflation weighed on the BoE's interest rate decision. The U.K. consumer price index declined to zero in February from 0.3% in January. It was the lowest level since 1989.

Analysts expect that the BoE will start to raise its interest rate in early 2016.

Investors are awaiting the minutes of the monetary policy committee (MPC). The minutes of the meeting will be released on April 22.

All members voted in March to keep the central bank's monetary policy unchanged, according to MPC's meeting minutes.

Federal Reserve released its March monetary policy meeting minutes on Wednesday. Fed officials were divided over when to start to hike interest rate. Some official said that it is better to raise interest rate in June, some officials would like to wait longer and some officials would prefer to wait until 2016.

The Fed dropped "patient" from its outlook for monetary policy at its March monetary policy meeting. Investors expected that the central bank may start to hike its interest rate in June. But the released economic data showed that the U.S. economy slowed in early 2015.

European stocks moderately extend early gains after better-than-expected German data indicating a recovery and the Greek announcement that the country is going to pay a 450 million euro to the International Monetary Fund.

Data on Industrial Production in Germany, Eurozone's biggest economy, came in at +0.2% in February, beating expectations for an increase of +0.1%. In January Industrial Production grew +0.6%. Year on year the Industrial Production shrank -0.3% compared to a previous reading of +0.9%.

In the U.K. the Halifax House Price Index for March rose +0.4% compared to -0.3%. In the first quarter the index rose by +8.1%.

U.K.'s Total Trade Balance for February came in at .2.85 compared to -0.62 in January. Trade in Goods showed a larger deficit. The index has a reading of -10.3 for February, below estimates of -9.1 and a previous reading of -8.4.

The commodity heavy FTSE 100 index is currently trading +0.67% quoted at 6,983.86 points. Germany's DAX 30 is trading at 12,096.28 points +0.50%. France's CAC 40 is currently trading at 5,181.30 points, +0.87%.

European stocks open higher today after better-than-expected German data indicating a recovery.

Data on Industrial Production in Germany, Eurozone's biggest economy, came in at +0.2% in February, beating expectations for an increase of +0.1%. In January Industrial Production grew +0.6%. Year on year the Industrial Production shrank -0.3% compared to a previous reading of +0.9%.

In the U.K. the Halifax House Price Index for March rose +0.4% compared to -0.3%. In the first quarter the index rose by +8.1%.

The commodity heavy FTSE 100 index is currently trading +0.50% quoted at 6,972.91 points. Germany's DAX 30 is trading at 12,095.75 points +0.50%. France's CAC 40 is currently trading at 5,162.87 points, +0.51%.

U.S. stocks traded slightly higher on Wednesday. The S&P 500 closed +0.27% with a final quote of 2,081.90 points. The DOW JONES index added +0.15%, closing at 17,902.51 points. Yesterday the minutes of the last FOMC meeting were published. The minutes show that the board is divided on whether to hike interest rates in June or not. As a consequence of the weaker-than-expected GDP growth and disappointing labour market data a potential interest rate hike might be delayed till September.

Chinese stocks are trading mixed. Hong Kong's Hang Seng is trading +2.68% at 26,941.05 points. China's Shanghai Composite is currently trading at 3,942.28 points -1.33%. In yesterday's session the index surpassed the 4,000 points mark for the first time since 2008, doubling since January 2014.

The Nikkei rose to a 15-year high on Thursday. The index rose +0.75% to 19,937.72 points. The highest closing since April 2000. Prelim Machine Tool Orders rose year on year by +14.6% in March compared to a previous reading of 28.9%.

(index / closing price / change items /% change)

Nikkei 225 19,789.81 +149.27 +0.76 %

Hang Seng 26,236.86 +961.22 +3.80 %

S&P/ASX 200 5,960.73 +34.76 +0.59 %

Shanghai Composite 3,995.5 +34.13 +0.86 %

FTSE 100 6,937.41 -24.36 -0.35 %

CAC 40 5,136.86 -14.33 -0.28 %

Xetra DAX 12,035.86 -87.66 -0.72 %

S&P 500 2,081.9 +5.57 +0.27 %

NASDAQ Composite 4,950.82 +40.59 +0.83 %

Dow Jones 17,902.51 +27.09 +0.15 %