Manufacturing data weight markets in China and France

European stocks were mixed Thursday as investors weighed manufacturing

data in France and China. French manufacturing activity rose more than forecast in January. The purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for the sector reached 48.8 (+1.8) in December; surprising analysts who expected it to come in at 47.5.

In China, manufacturing fell unexpectedly, with the preliminary reading of HSBC’s PMI for January falling for the first time since July to 49.5 from 50.5 a month earlier and compared to the estimated 50.5.

In London, some corporate news got the industry talking, with the end of the affair between House of Fraser and Galleries Lafayette setting the former to a even more feasible floatation. House of Fraser would have reportedly put an end to the conversations it has maintained with the Paris-based department store, which was interested in acquiring the British retailer.

Elsewhere, JD Sports made it to the news on Thursday after it advanced the opening of a new menswear brand named Open which it intends will reach “double digit” store numbers by the end of the year.

JD said it had built an “experienced team” that includes the likes of Karen Millen's joint managing director Steve Price and former Blue Inc buying and design director Stephen Galea to lead the retailer, which is set to open in the second half of 2014.

At the trading floor, Asos declined after Goldman Sachs cut its rating of the online fashion retailer to ‘neutral’ from ‘buy’. Marks & Spencer’s stock traded upward after the City nodded to the retailer’s plans to invest in online, the supply chain, food and international expansion.