Equities on the Asian markets traded higher on Thursday after the Jibun Bank Manufacturing PMI saw Japan's factory output expanding further in March, after rising above the neutral 50 in February for the first time in 10 months.
Meanwhile, China's manufacturing PMI for the month showed the country marked an overall growth in the sector, despite disappointing investors' expectations.
The DAX increased by 0.30 percent, while the FTSE 100 went up by 0.32 percent at the opening bell, and the CAC 40 gained 0.15 percent. The euro slid 0.05 percent to trade for $1.17251 and the pound declined by 0.12 percent, changing hands at $1.37668.
Japan's Nikkei 225 went up by 1.15 percent with the Australian S&P 200, inching 0.39 percent higher. South Korea's Kospi added 0.44 percent. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite went up by 0.33 percent, with the Shenzhen Composite rising by 0.97 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng increased by 0.82 percent.