European shares set to end 2015 with gains

On Thursday European shares were set to end 2015 with gains made over the course of the year, although they remained below earlier peaks after weak commodity prices weighed on markets in the final quarter.

Britain's blue-chip FTSE 100 index and France's benchmark CAC-40 index were both down 0.4 percent on Thursday. Germany's DAX was closed for a public holiday, while other markets were due for only a half day of trading.

Brent crude oil prices stayed near 11-year lows, with shares in oil companies such as BP and Total falling.

European stocks fell for a second day, trimming their annual advance as they’re poised to post their worst December since 2002. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 0.3 percent at 9:57 a.m. in London, with the volume of shares changing hands about 80 percent lower than the 30-day average. Markets including Germany, Switzerland and Italy are closed, while the U.K., France and the Netherlands will shut by 1:05 p.m. today.

Asian stocks were poised for the first back-to-back annual declines since 2002 as decelerating Chinese growth and the rout in commodities sent equities tumbling during the year to underperform benchmark gauges in Europe and the U.S.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index headed for a 4.3 percent drop this year, compared with a 0.2 percent advance for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and a 7.4 percent increase for the Stoxx Europe 600 Index. The gauge was little changed in light trading on the final day of the year, rising 0.1 percent to 131.91 as of 3 p.m. in Hong Kong, as energy shares followed a decline in crude oil.