As investors digest German growth and consumer confidence data, European markets open flat today with US markets closing early again due to Thanksgiving.

As investors analyse German growth and consumer confidence data, European stock markets open flat on Friday with US markets closing early again due to Thanksgiving.

According to the final German GDP figures for the third quarter, growth in the biggest economy in the Eurozone increased by 0.4% from the previous quarter.

German economic growth in the third quarter was 1.2% on an annual basis, a sharp decline from the 1.7% increase reported in the same quarter a year earlier.

Additionally, there were hints of recovery in the GfK German Consumer Climate Index, which increased from -41.9 in November to -40.2 in December.

Due to the fact that Wall Street will close early on Friday due to Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday, activity is anticipated to be subdued in Europe on Friday.

Despite Friday's little increase in crude oil prices amid low liquidity, the commodity is still expected to suffer a third straight week of losses due to concerns over Chinese demand and the size of the planned price restriction on Russian oil from the Group of Seven countries.

Trading statements from the construction materials company Breedon and the manufacturer of sausage casings Devro will be released today.

(Sources: investing.com, reuters.com, proactiveinvestors.co.uk)