-- The European stock markets were tracking sharply higher in Thursday trading as The Stoxx Europe was rising 1.3%, Germany's DAX was also up 1.3%, the FTSE 100 was climbing 1.5%, the Swiss Market Index increased 0.7%, and France's CAC was advancing 0.5%.
Euro area annual inflation is expected to be 3.0% in April, up from 2.6% in March, according to a flash estimate from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
Among the main components of inflation, energy prices rose at the fastest annual rate in April at 10.9%, more than doubling the 5.1% reported in March.
Seasonally adjusted GDP increased 0.1% in Q1 in both the euro area and the EU, compared with the previous quarter, according to Eurostat. This is compared with 0.2% growth in Q4 for both the euro area and the EU.
Compared with a year earlier, seasonally adjusted GDP grew 0.8% in the euro area and 1.0% in the EU in Q1, following growth of 1.3% in the euro area and 1.4% in the EU the previous quarter.
And in corporate news, Unilever reported Q1 turnover Thursday of 12.6 billion euros ($14.72 billion), down 3.3% from a year earlier. Underlying sales for the quarter grew 3.8%, the company added.
Unilever expects 2026 underlying sales growth to be at the lower end of its multi-year guidance range of 4% to 6%, according to the statement.
Shares of the consumer goods giant were trading close to 2% higher in London.
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria reported Q1 adjusted earnings Thursday of 0.51 euro ($0.60) per diluted share, up from 0.45 euro a year earlier.
Two analysts polled by FactSet expected 0.48 euro.
Gross income for the quarter ended March 31 was 10.65 billion euros, up from 9.32 billion euros a year earlier.
Shares of the Spanish bank were rising 1.7% in Madrid.
ING Groep reported Q1 earnings Thursday of 0.54 euros ($0.63) per share, up from 0.47 euros a year earlier. Four analysts polled by FactSet expected 0.49 euros.
Total income for the quarter ended March 31 was 5.82 billion euros, compared with 5.64 billion euros a year earlier. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected 5.86 billion euros.
For 2026, the lender said it continues to expect total income of 24 billion euros.Analysts polled by FactSet expect 24.21 billion euros.
The company also approved a new 1 billion euros share buyback program.
Shares of ING were advancing close to 4% in Amsterdam.
Stellantis reported Q1 adjusted earnings Thursday of $0.21 per diluted share, up from $0.04 a year earlier. Analysts polled by FactSet expected $0.19.
Net revenue for the quarter ended March 31 was $38.13 billion, compared with $35.81 billion a year earlier. Four analysts surveyed by FactSet expected $44.95 billion.
For 2026, the company expects net revenue growth of mid-single digit percentage. Analysts polled by FactSet expect $188.42 billion.
Shares of the automaker were down more than 6% in Paris.
TotalEnergies and partner Nextnorth have reached financial close and broke ground on a 440 MWp solar power plant in Ilagan, the Philippines, the companies said Thursday.
The project, which is 65% owned by TotalEnergies, is expected to be operational by the end of 2027, producing 13.5 TWh over 20 years.
The companies said that more than 50% of the project's power will be sold under long-term offtake deals with AdventEnergy and PrimeRES, while the rest will be sold to the national grid.
Shares of the French oil and gas company were up 1.4% in Paris.