The Stoxx Europe 600, Germany's DAX, and France's CAC 40 were closed for the Labor Day holiday Thursday, while the FTSE 100 rose slightly.

In the UK, the seasonally adjusted S&P Global UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 45.4 in April, up from a 17-month low of 44.9 the previous month. However, it is the seventh straight month the reading has remained below the 50-point threshold separating expansion from contraction.

In Ireland, the headline AIB Ireland Manufacturing PMI rose to 53.0 in April from 51.6 in March, and remained above the 50-point threshold for the fourth consecutive month. It was also the highest reading since June 2022.

And in corporate news, British financial services giant HSBC Chairman Mark Tucker has told the board that he plans to retire before the end of the year, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing a filing. The process to find Tucker's successor has started, according to the report.

Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said the company would consider cancelling orders for planes from Boeing if US tariffs impact the price in a meaningful way, Reuters reported Thursday. Boeing did not immediately reply to a request for comment from MT Newswires.