12:27 PM EDT, 07/26/2024 (MT Newswires) -- European stock markets closed higher in Friday trading as the Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.87%, the Swiss Market Index gained 1.12%, France's CAC increased 1.22%, the FTSE in London was up 1.21% and Germany's DAX advanced 0.68%.

The median rate of perceived inflation in the previous 12 months declined to 4.5% in June from 4.9% in May, according to the European Central Bank's monthly consumer expectations survey. Median expectations for inflation over the next 12 months remained unchanged at 2.8% after falling in May to the lowest since September 2021.

Household real consumption per capita increased 0.2% in the euro area in Q1 after a 0.1% increase in the previous quarter, according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU. Household real income per capita increased 1.5% in Q1 after a 0.7% increase in Q4.

In France, household confidence in July increased with the consumer confidence synthetic index rising to 91 from 90 in June, trailing the long-term average of 100, according to the Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies.

In Italy, the consumer confidence index rose to 98.9 in July from 98.3 in June, according to the Italian National Institute of Statistics. The business confidence climate index declined to 94.2 in July from 94.5 in June.

In corporate news, shares of NatWest Group closed 7% higher in London after the British financial services company reported fiscal Q3 results and agreed to acquire a portfolio of prime UK residential mortgages from Metro Bank.

Shares of EssilorLuxottica rose 7% in Paris after the company said tech giant Meta Platforms is interested in acquiring a stake.

Italian oil and gas company Eni's shares gained more than 4% in Milan after the company reported Q2 earnings and revenue increased.

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