-- The European stock markets were tracking mostly lower in Wednesday trading as the Stoxx Europe dropped 0.4%, the FTSE 100 was down 0.5%, France's CAC declined 0.7%, the Swiss Market Index was off 0.3%, while Germany's DAX gained 0.2%.
Seasonally adjusted industrial production increased 0.4% in February in both the euro area and the European Union, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU.
Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expected 0.3%.
And in corporate news, GSK said Wednesday it has completed its $950 million acquisition of 35Pharma, adding an experimental pulmonary hypertension therapy to its respiratory, immunology and inflammation pipeline.
The deal gives GSK full ownership of HS235, a clinical-stage, protein-based treatment targeting the activin receptor signaling pathway, a clinically validated target in pulmonary hypertension.
GSK said the candidate is designed with enhanced selectivity and could potentially reduce risks such as bleeding, pericardial effusion and dose-limiting increases in haemoglobin associated with current treatments.
Shares of the British pharmaceutical company were down 2.3% in London.
Stellantis is considering reviving a partnership with Dongfeng Motor under which the companies would jointly produce cars in Europe and China, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Through the partnership, Dongfeng could gain access to underused Stellantis factories in Europe, the unnamed sources told the news outlet.
Stellantis didn't immediately respond to' request for comment.
Shares of the automaker were up 2.1% in Paris.
Aegon said Wednesday it has agreed to sell Aegon UK to Standard Life for 2 billion British pounds ($2.71 billion).
The proceeds comprise 750 million pounds of cash and a shareholding of 15.3% in Standard Life, according to the company. Aegon said it intends to complete the sale around the end of this year.
Shares of the financial services group were moving 0.2% lower in Amsterdam.
Equinor's Danske Commodities said Wednesday that it eliminated about 28 positions in March, as the company aims to further its new commercial strategy.
As part of its organizational adjustments, some positions have been discontinued, while new positions are being established, according to a statement from Jonas Skovbjerg Hansen, vice president of people & culture, sent to.
Shares of the Norwegian petroleum refiner were off 2.3% in Oslo.