European stocks were little changed Thursday as investors assessed global bond-market developments and continued to monitor elevated oil prices amid persistent Middle East tensions. The U.S. Treasury’s decision to at least double longer-dated bond buybacks pushed Treasury yields sharply lower, while uncertainty over the U.S.-Iran standoff continued to weigh on markets. BMW gained 1.4%, Volkswagen rose 1% and Mercedes-Benz added 0.8%, making automotive shares among the strongest performers. ASML and L’Oréal also advanced. Rheinmetall fell 1.5%, while SAP, BASF and Nokia declined about 1.3%-1.4%; LVMH and Linde also traded lower. Investors are assessing German producer-price data showing inflation at its highest level in more than three years, with attention turning to the European Central Bank (ECB) meeting accounts for clues on future monetary policy.