12:14 PM EST, 01/14/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The European stock markets closed mixed in Wednesday trading as The Stoxx Europe was up 0.17%, Germany's DAX declined 0.42%, the FTSE 100 rose 0.46%, France's CAC was down 0.19%, and the Swiss Market Index gained 0.75%.

In the UK, the NatWest Regional Growth Tracker reported that eight of the 12 UK nations and regions registered an increase in new business in December. This was up from five in November, and is the most recorded since October 2024.

"The final report of 2025 has shown that many of the regions can take confidence from the resilience their businesses have shown over the course of the year and the positive impact they have made to the wider UK economy," NatWest Chief Economist Sebastian Burnside said in a statement.

"Encouragingly, in the majority of nations and regions, business confidence in December was higher than it had been a year earlier, which is hopefully a good omen for growth prospects in 2026."

And in corporate news, HSBC is exploring options for its insurance unit in Singapore, including a sale, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

HSBC is working with a financial adviser to review the business, which could be valued at over $1 billion in a transaction, the report said.

Other insurers and investment firms have shown early interest, but considerations are preliminary and no final decision has been made, the report said.

The report quoted an HSBC representative as saying the bank remains committed to Singapore as an international wealth and wholesale hub.

HSBC is also assessing interest from investors for a significant risk transfer linked to a portfolio of approximately 2 billion euros ($2.33 billion) worth of investment-grade corporate loans, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The size of the significant risk transfer is equivalent to about 10% of the reference portfolio, the unnamed sources told the news outlet.

HSBC did not immediately respond to requests for comment from MT Newswires.

Shares of the British lender were little changed in London.

Eni Chief Executive Claudio Descalzi is set to be reappointed to the position for a fifth three-year term by the Italian government, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Sources told Bloomberg that the decision to appoint Descalzi is expected to be made by spring. However, discussions are ongoing and no final decision has been made, they added.

"These are decisions that are up to our shareholders, and therefore we do not comment on them," Eni told MT Newswires in an e-mailed statement.

Shares of the Italian oil and gas company were up 1.5% in Milan.

Shell and Exxon Mobil unit Esso Exploration and Production UK have decided against proceeding with the planned sale of their natural gas assets in the UK's Southern North Sea to Viaro Energy, a Shell spokesperson told MT Newswires in an e-mailed statement Wednesday.

"Despite a constructive process, completion conditions were not met as commercial and market conditions evolved," the spokesperson said.

Viaro didn't immediately respond to MT Newswires' request for comment.

Shares of Shell gained 0.6% in London.

Astrazeneca has acquired Modella AI, the companies said Wednesday.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

The two companies forged a mult-year deal last year meant to incorporate AI models and agents into AstraZeneca's oncology portfolio, the companies said.

Shares of the British pharmaceutical company rose 2.4% in London.

BP said Tuesday that it now expects Q4 upstream output to be broadly flat, compared with the prior quarter.

The company said its Q4 oil production & operations would be slightly higher and gas & low carbon energy lower, compared with the prior quarter.

Shares of the British oil and gas giant were up 1.5% in London.

TotalEnergies said Wednesday it has agreed to sell its 10% non-operated interest in the Renaissance joint venture licenses in Nigeria to Vaaris.

The deal covers 15 oil-producing licenses, representing production of about 16,000 barrels equivalent per day in company share last year, as well as gas-producing licenses, TotalEnergies said.

Shares of the French oil and gas company gained 1.2% in Paris.

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