This is CNBC's live blog covering European markets.

European stocks closed slightly higher on Thursday as investors continue to seek direction and with U.S. markets closed.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 index closed up 0.3%. Oil and gas stocks pulled ahead with a 1.4% gain despite the continued fall in oil prices after OPEC delayed its policy-setting meeting.

Travel stocks led losses, down by 1%.

Preliminary purchasing managers' index data from the euro zone for November showed employment fell for the first time in nearly three years.

Business activity continued to decline, though the rate of contraction slowed in output and new business.

Investors are also watching Dutch election results after an exit poll showed right-wing populist Geert Wilders to be on track for a dramatic victory with his Freedom Party, the PVV.

U.S. stocks rose Wednesday after the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield briefly fell to its lowest level in two months and the November market rally broadened into the Thanksgiving holiday.

OPEC+ oil group to hold virtual meeting on Nov. 30

The influential oil group reuniting the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies will hold a virtual meeting to decide crude production strategy on Nov. 30, the OPEC Secretariat said.

The group, collectively known as OPEC+, was supposed to convene in person in Vienna over Nov. 25-26 but has since postponed its meeting amid inter-member disgruntlement — weighing on intraday prices on Thursday.

The Ice Brent contract with January expiry was trading at $80.30 per barrel at 2:10 p.m. London time, down by $1.66 per barrel from the Wednesday settlement. The Nymex WTI contract with January delivery was at $75.45 per barrel, lower by $1.65 per barrel from the previous day's close price.

— Ruxandra Iordache

The ‘disinflation story’ is strong, analyst says

Elliot Hentov, head of macro policy research at State Street Global Advisors, says it's unlikely to ease until the second half of 2024.

Sterling rises after UK business activity beats expectations

The British pound gained Thursday after U.K. business activity defied expectations and returned to growth in November.

The preliminary purchasing managers' index from S&P Global/CIPS, a measurement of services and manufacturing, put activity at 50.1 — ahead of the 50 mark separating growth from contraction, and ahead of the 48.7 forecast in a Reuters poll of economists.

Sterling was up 0.5% against the U.S. dollar at 10 a.m. in London at $1.256. It was 0.2% higher against the euro at 1.149.

"The UK economy found its feet again in November as the service sector arrested a three-month sequence of decline and manufacturers began to report less severe cutbacks to production schedules," said Tim Moore, economics director at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

"Relief at the pause in interest rate hikes and a clear slowdown in headline measures of inflation are helping to support business activity, although the latest survey data merely suggests broadly flat UK GDP in the final quarter of 2023."

The moves also come after the U.K. government made a series of fiscal announcements, including cuts to personal and business taxes.

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility on Wednesday sharply downgraded its U.K. growth forecasts and raised its inflation projections.

— Jenni Reid

CNBC Pro: Alibaba, Baidu and more: Jefferies names Asian stocks with significant 'hidden value'

Asian stock markets may have had a weak year, but excessive cash in the region's companies is a hidden opportunity for investors, according to Jefferies.

"When a company hoards cash on its balance sheet, its PE valuations look lot more expensive than what it should be, without the excess cash," the investment bank's analysts wrote.

Jefferies screened for Asian companies with "significant ex-cash value and strong fundamentals," and which it said make "good candidates" for buybacks and dividends.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.

— Amala Balakrishner

CNBC Pro: Morgan Stanley is bullish on this emerging AI trend — and names 6 stocks to play it

One part of artificial intelligence will have an increasing role to play, according to Morgan Stanley.

The trend can help save costs, reduce latency (or lag time), among other benefits, Morgan Stanley said.

It named six companies that are set to be key beneficiaries of this trend and likely to outperform in 2024 and 2025.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.

— Weizhen Tan

European markets: Here are the opening calls

European markets are expected to open in mixed territory Thursday.

The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index is expected to open 11 points higher at 7,467, Germany's DAX down 13 points at 15,949, France's CAC down 1 point at 7,261 and Italy's FTSE MIB down 9 points at 29,178, according to data from IG. 

Preliminary purchasing managers' index data from the euro zone for November is due.

— Holly Ellyatt