11:58 AM EST, 11/12/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The European stock markets closed higher in Thursday trading as investors monitored ongoing earnings reports, as well as potential peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

The Stoxx Europe gained 0.3%, Germany's DAX rose 0.5%, the FTSE 100 increased 0.3%, France's CAC advanced 0.5%, and the Swiss Market Index closed 0.6% higher.

In the UK, monthly GDP grew 0.2% in September after showing no growth in August, according to the Office for National Statistics. Analysts polled by Bloomberg were expecting no growth. During Q3, real gross domestic product expanded by 0.7% compared with the previous three-month period, and grew 1.9% compared with the same period a year earlier. Both readings matched forecasts from Bloomberg analysts.

In corporate news, HSBC is considering a larger role for its Singapore business as part of an internal review aimed at diversifying its Asian operations and reducing concentration risk tied to Hong Kong and mainland China, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.

The discussions, conducted under an initiative known as Project Sirena, involve giving HSBC's Singapore unit greater operational independence and potentially using it as a second regional base alongside Hong Kong, the report said.

A company executive confirmed a planned consolidation of the bank's Singapore units but said there are no further plans beyond that move, according to Bloomberg.

HSBC is also working on two significant risk transfer deals covering about $7 billion of large corporate loans in the US and Asia, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The lender is discussing one deal tied to about $3 billion of US loans and another linked to roughly 5.8 billion Australian dollars ($4 billion) of Asia-Pacific lending, the report said.

HSBC didn't immediately reply to MT Newswires' requests for comment.

Shares of the British lender were 0.2% lower in London.

Banco Santander increased by 5% the exchange ratio in its planned offer to acquire the remaining shares of Santander Brasil that it does not already own, representing about 10% of the Brazilian bank's share capital, the company said Thursday.

Under the revised terms, holders of each Santander Brasil unit or ADS would receive 0.4260 newly issued Banco Santander shares, up from 0.4056 previously offered. Holders of common or preferred shares would receive 0.2130 Banco Santander shares, compared with 0.2028 under the original proposal, the company said.

If accepted, the Spanish lender would issue about 166 million new shares, equivalent to roughly 1.1% of its current share capital, for a maximum consideration of 1.9 billion euros ($2.11 billion), it said.

Shares of Banco Santander lost 2.3% in Madrid.

BHP Group is considering restructuring its Australian iron ore business as part of broader plans for a cost-cutting overhaul, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The Australian miner, which has already laid off 300 on-site workers from the segment, plans to cut additional roles, mainly from its white-collar workforce. The Western Australia Iron Ore unit currently has over 16,000 employees and contractors.

Other divisions could also face job cuts as the company evaluates parts of its portfolio beyond iron ore, sources told Bloomberg.

BHP did not immediately respond to MT Newswires' request for comment.

Shares of BHP declined 0.5% in London.

BP is in talks with Petrobras to sell a stake in the Bumerangue oil block off the coast of Brazil, Bloomberg reported Thursday, people with the matter.

Negotiations are ongoing and a deal may not come to fruition, the report said. A final investment decision is not expected before 2027, it said.

BP and Petrobras did not immediately reply to MT Newswires' request for comment.

Shares of BP were off 0.5% in London.

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